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HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – There were four distinct instances in No. 20 Lewis women's volleyball's 3-2 (20-25, 8-25, 26-24, 27-25, 15-13) victory at No. 12 Northern Kentucky when it would have been easy for the Flyers to give up. Dropping the first two sets and scoring just eight points in the second set would have been a reasonable time to throw in the towel. Seeing NKU turn away three set points in the third set to tie the score at 24 could have been a moment to roll over. Down 23-20 in the fourth set seems like a logical point to say it's not your night. Trailing 10-6 in the fifth set is also not a good sign.
 
But the Flyers didn't give up, and for the second time in three matches the Flyers rallied from an 0-2 deficit to earn a key in-region victory. While the win last Saturday was over non-conference Grand Valley State, Friday's victory was a key Great Lakes Valley Conference match.
 
Lewis used a four-point run in the fifth set to tie the score at 10. Junior Jen Krumwiede (Elkhart, Ind./Elkhart Memorial) (Elkhart, Ind./Elkhart Memorial/IPFW) came up with two kills in the run. The teams traded points until kills by senior Danielle Mount (Crest Hill, Ill./Lockport) (Crest Hill, Ill./Crest Hill) and junior Colleen Mitros (Mokena, Ill./Providence Catholic) (Mokena, Ill./Providence Catholic) gave Lewis a 13-12 lead. NKU scored out of a timeout to tie the game at 13. Lewis asked for time and went to Mitros for a kill and point 14. The Flyers had match point and took advantage on a block by Mount and Krumwiede to complete the comeback.
 
Lewis also had to rally in the fourth set. Down 23-20, Lewis scored three straight to knot it up. Mount had two kills and a block assist in the stretch. NKU earned match point at 24-23 only to see Mount tie it up again with another kill. Junior Jillian Carlberg (Urbandale, Iowa/Waukee) (Urbandale, Iowa/Waukee) then put Lewis up 24-23 with a  kill. NKU denied one Lewis set point, but that would be the only one as Krumwiede followed with a kill for point 26.

The Flyers couldn't have won the match if they didn't earn a victory in set three. The teams traded the first eight points of the third until the Flyers took a 6-4 lead. Lewis opened it up to an 11-6 advantage thanks to a 5-0 run. NKU didn't tie the score again until 24-24 after the Norse turned away three Lewis set points. The Flyers scored the next two points to take the set thanks to an attack error and a ball handling error by the Norse.

“After set two (Assistant Coach) Rudi (Balich) was the one to suggest going after it behind the service line,” head coach Lorelee Smith said. “We missed some serves but we were scoring and it helped start things offensively.”
 
Mount finished with 16 kills, four blocks (one solo) and two aces. Mitros had 13 digs and 11 kills with two aces.

“The team refused to give up and Colleen's energy was huge,” Smith said. “Danielle played like an All-American tonight.”

Sophomore Amy Choi (Vernon Hills, Ill./Vernon Hills) (Vernon Hills, Ill./Vernon Hills) led Lewis with 18 digs. Krumwiede had six of her seven kills come in sets four and five. She also added 11 digs.
 
NKU falls to 19-3 (9-3 GLVC). Lewis improves to 17-5 (9-3 GLVC). The Flyers play at Bellarmine on Saturday.