Nov. 20, 2009

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INDIANAPOLIS - No. 11 Lewis swept Saginaw Valley State in the Midwest Region Semifinals on Friday evening 25-23, 25-19, 25-21. The win puts Lewis in the Regional Championship on Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. CT. It's the second time in three seasons Lewis has advanced to the Sweet 16.

Junior Lauren Seliga (St. Louis, Mo./Nerinx) had a double-double with 13 kills and 14 digs.

"The match came down to Lauren vs. their No. 2, and Lauren won," head coach Lorelee Smith said.

Senior Ashlee Lindish (Chicago, Ill./Mother McAuley) totaled 23 digs, a season-high for a Flyer in a three-set match. She also had three aces.

"Ashlee, wow," Smith said on Lindish. "She dug everything and then went back and delivered laser serves. She kept us in the game when things weren't going perfect."

Sophomore Colleen Mitros (Mokena, Ill./Providence) totaled seven kills and six digs. Senior Stephanie Sagat (Darien, Ill./Hinsdale South) had eight kills and a season-high 20 digs.

Senior middle hitter senior Sara deBuhr (Urbandale, Iowa/Urbandale) recorded six blocks to become the all-time career total blocks leader with 400, passing Katie Gilman (2000-03). deBuhr also totaled nine kills.

The closest set was the first, with neither team holding larger than a three-point lead in the frame. The Cardinals scored three straight points to take a 23-21 lead and appeared to be on the verge of taking the first set. However Lewis finished on a 4-0 run to take the game. Following an attack error by SVSU, Lindish delivered an ace to knot the set up. Kills by Seliga, and then Mitros put it away.

Set two was tied at nine until a 6-1 run gave Lewis separation. The run consisted of three kills, two blocks and an ace for Lewis.

Lewis jumped out to a 19-5 lead in the third. The Flyers had runs 8-0, 6-0 and 3-0 to take what seemed like an insurmountable lead. However SVSU went on runs of 6-0 and 5-0 to make Lewis fans sweat at 23-19. With the score 24-21, Mitros hammered down a kill to end the match.

Lewis held a 7-to-1 edge in blocks and an 84-73 advantage in digs. Jessica Treiber lead the Cardinals with 11 kills. Saginaw Valley State ends the season at 22-10.

Lewis improves to 32-4. The Flyers will play Indianapolis on Saturday at 2 p.m. CT for a trip to the Elite Eight.