Oct. 16, 2009

Michigan Tech Box Score
GVSU Box Score

LANSING, Mich. - The No. 13 Flyers defeated region foes Grand Valley State 3-2 (16-25, 25-12, 21-25, 25-18, 15-11) and Michigan Tech 3-1 (25-18, 23-25, 25-18, 25-17) on Friday during the first day of the Great Lakes Valley Conference/Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Crossover held in Landing, Mich.

Grand Valley State controlled the Flyers in the opening set, limiting Lewis to just a .026 hitting percentage. However Lewis came alive in the second set, dominating the Lakers by out-hitting them .316 to .000. The set was highlighted by an 8-0 run in which sophomore Colleen Mitros (Mokena, Ill./Providence) recorded three consecutive aces.

Lewis jumped out to a 7-1 lead in the third set but the defending Midwest Region Champion Lakers wouldn't give up that easy. Next thing Lewis knew the Lakers were up 14-13. The Flyers couldn't sustain a run the rest of the way and the Lakers took the set by four points.

Grand Valley led the fourth set 7-5 but this time it was the three-time defending GLVC Champion Flyers who wouldn't go away thanks to an 8-0 stretch.

Lewis took a quick 12-7 lead in the fifth set thanks to a pair of three-point runs. The Lakers made it interesting with four straight points to bring the score to 12-11, but Lewis scored the final three points to take the match.

Senior Sara deBuhr (Urbandale, Iowa/Urbandale) recorded 11 kills. Senior Ashlee Lindish (Chicago, Ill./Mother McAuley) totaled 18 digs. Lewis recorded nine aces to just four service errors.

The victory is the Flyers' first over Grand Valley State since 1997. The win extends Lewis' win streak to 17 matches. The Flyers' all-time streak was set by last year's squad at 18. Lewis can match that on Saturday with a victory over Ferris State.

"It was a total team victory," head coach Lorelee Smith said of Lewis' victory over Grand Valley State. "I had to move some people around but people bought into their roles and pulled it out."

The win gave Lewis a perfect 2-0 record on the day after a win over Michigan Tech in the afternoon. Junior Rachel Ruedi (Mahomet, Ill./Mahomet Seymore) was a kill away from a triple-double with 40 assists, 11 digs and nine kills.

Senior Stephanie Sagat (Darien, Ill./Hinsdale South) had a double-double with a match-high 14 kills and 13 digs while hitting .379.

Senior Kim Richards (Evergreen Park, Ill./Mother McAuley), junior Lauren Seliga (St. Louis, Mo./Nerinx) and deBuhr each finished with nine kills. Seliga also had 10 digs. Lindish totaled 17 digs.

The Flyers' outhit the Huskies .234 to .142 and sided out above 66 percent in each set.

On the day deBuhr recorded four block assists to move into second all-time in career block assists with 280. She needs 16 more to set a new Lewis record. Sagat totaled 24 kills on the day, putting her 17 away from setting the Flyers' all-time kills mark. Her current total stands at 1,543.

Lewis is now 20-3, their fourth straight 20-win season.