/ St. Francis box score  Kentucky Wesleyan box score

Romeoville, Ill. – The Lewis University women's volleyball team defeated both St. Francis and Great Lakes Valley Conference opponent Kentucky Wesleyan, 3-1, in a Friday (Sept. 21) doubleheader at Neil Carey Arena. The Flyers improve to 7-6 on the season, 3-1 in GLVC play. The Saints fall to 13-3 while the Panthers fall to 4-10, 0-4 in the GLVC.
 
“(Tonight's games) were very good wins,” Lewis head women's volleyball coach Lorelee Smith said. “Both teams had very good defenses and that can frustrate (a team) offensively but our team was able to stay calm and came as the victors.”
 
In the first game of the doubleheader, the Saints were able to regroup after a timeout to go on an 11-2 run to take the first set 25-18. Coach Smith was able to make some key substitutions in the next three sets to get the Flyers the 3-1 victory, (25-18, 25-16, 25-18). 
 
Sophomore Leigh Barea (Battle Creek, Mich./Harper Creek) (Battle Creek, Mich./Harper Creek) was able to hold serve two different times for four big points to put the Flyers ahead. Barea finished the game with 39 assists and 16 digs for her fourth double-double of the season.

Redshirt senior Colleen Mitros (Mokena, Ill./Providence Catholic) (Mokena, Ill./Providence Catholic) and freshman Cassidy Parsons (Elkhart, Ind./Elkhart Memorial) (Elkhart, Ind./Elkhart Memorial) each had 13 kills against the Saints.
 
“Offensively, we had Cassidy put two back-to-back games where she was a go-to, reliable hitter,” Smith said. “And we had Colleen, who has all year been our outside hitter which everybody knows and she still performs with them trying to stop her.”
 
In the nightcap, Mitros and Parson again posted double digit kills (14) to help Lewis defeat Kentucky Wesleyan (28-26, 15-25, 25-16, 25-13). Mitros added 15 digs as well against the Panthers. Barea also posted 43 assists. Libero Mary Carroll (Naperville, Ill./Naperville Central) (Naperville, Ill./Naperville Central) had 19 digs in her third game at the position.
 
Lewis women's volleyball is back in action on Saturday (Sept. 22) when they take on Southern Indiana at the Neil Carey Arena. First serve is set for 5 PM on Lakeshore Public Television.