No. 11 Women's Volleyball Advances To GLVC Championship

Nov. 13, 2010

ROMEOVILLE, Ill. - Down a set, and trailing 12-7 in the second, things looked bleak for No. 11 Lewis against No. 25 Missouri-St. Louis on Saturday evening in the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament semifinals. But like flipping a switch, the Flyers went on an 8-1 run. Lewis would win the set and the match 3-1 (24-26, 25-20, 25-16, 25-20).

The win advances Lewis to the GLVC Championship on Sunday at 2 p.m. Lewis will play No. 19 Indianapolis. The Flyers lost to Indianapolis in the GLVC Tournament last season.

Senior Danielle Mount (Crest Hill, Ill./Lockport) led Lewis with a career-high 18 kills and just three errors to hit .577. Mount also had eight block assists.

"Danielle was clutch against a team we struggled against earlier in the year," head coach Lorelee Smith said. "She made a huge difference tonight."

Senior Lauren Seliga (St. Louis, Mo./Nerinx) added 21 digs and 12 kills.

Lewis out-blocked the Tritons 15.0 to 8.0. Junior Hannah Koeneman (New Haven, Ind./Woodlan) totaled seven block assists and nine kills. Freshman libero Amy Choi (Vernon Hills, Ill./Vernon Hills) totaled 18 digs. GLVC Player of the Year senior setter Rachel Ruedi (Mahomet, Ill./Mahomet Seymour) added 44 assists, 10 digs and four blocks (one solo).

Lewis led the opening set 18-15 and earned a set point at 24-23 but three straight UMSL points gave the opening frame to the Tritons.

Following Lewis' rally in the second set, the Flyers cruised to an easy set three victory, scoring three consecutive points on five occasions. The fourth set was close throughout, featuring 15 ties and six lead changes. Lewis led 20-19 when the Flyers finished on a 5-1 run to win the match. Mount had two kills in the stretch, including a kill on match point.

"Our front court blocking and backcourt defense played in unison," Smith said. "They communicated well and really trusted each other."

UMSL falls to 20-8. Lewis improves to 25-4. The win avenges Lewis' only conference loss this season, which came to UMSL.

Lewis University is a Catholic university offering distinctive undergraduate and graduate programs to approximately 6,000 traditional and adult students. Lewis offers multiple campus locations, online degree programs, and a variety of formats that provide accessibility and convenience to a growing student population. Sponsored by the De La Salle Christian Brothers, Lewis prepares ethically grounded, globally aware, and socially responsible graduates. The ninth largest not-for-profit university in Illinois, Lewis has been nationally recognized by The Princeton Review and U.S. News & World Report. Visit www.lewisu.edu for further information. ##LEWIS##

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