AURORA, Ill. – It took 10 total sets but No. 19 Lewis women's volleyball earned a pair of key in-region wins at the Mizuno Midwest Region Crossover on Friday (Oct. 16). Lewis topped No. 23 Grand Valley State 3-2 (25-21, 14-25, 25-21, 22-25, 15-11) and Michigan Tech 3-2 (24-26, 25-21, 25-22, 21-25, 16-14).

"What is great about this team is they don't back down," Lewis head coach Lorelee Smith said. "We get pushed every time we step on the court because we don't always play consistent. But we fight and really believe in one another from number one to number 43."

Lewis 3, Grand Valley State 2 (HTML Box / PDF Box)
The two clubs could have saved a few hours by starting the match in a race to 15 as it was the fourth time in five Crossover meetings the teams have played to five sets.

Nevertheless, Friday's early match featured 19 ties as senior Alexis Davito (Crest Hill, Ill./Lockport) led Lewis with 15 kills on a .448 attack percentage. She totaled two of Lewis' five aces in the match.

Lewis was in position to finish the Lakers in four as the Flyers held a 17-11 lead in the fourth set. However the Lakers went on a 7-0 run to grab an 18-17 lead. Grand Valley sided out each of the next five times, preventing the Flyers from stringing a run together. The Lakers won the set 25-22.

The Flyers flipped the script in the fifth set as Grand Valley was nearing a set five win at 10-8 before Lewis scored six straight. Sophomore Maddie Seliga (St. Louis, Mo./Nerinx Hall) had an ace and a kill in the push.

Seliga finished with 13 kills and 19 digs. Junior Nicole Yuede (St. Charles, Mo./Francis Howell North) totaled 20 digs. Freshman McKenna Pierson (Ankeny, Iowa/Ankeny Centennial) dished out 32 assists.

Lewis 3, Michigan Tech 2 (HTML Box / PDF Box)
The Flyers saw a 9-7 lead in the fifth set disappear in a flash as Michigan Tech grabbed a 14-12 advantage. Freshman Elizabeth Hyland (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield Central) made it 14-13 with a kill to side out for the Flyers. Michigan Tech, facing a chance to swing for the match, called a timeout. Hyland followed with the first of three key serves to throw off the Michigan Tech offense. Seliga took advantage on a kill to tie it at 14. Back-to-back Michigan Tech hitting errors followed to give the match to the Flyers in dramatic fashion.

Lewis dropped the first set after leading 23-20 but won the third after tailing 18-16.

Yuede finished with a career-high 35 digs. Hyland totaled 20 digs to go with 11 kills. Seliga had a double-double of 17 kills and 11 digs. Sophomore Aly Schneider (Granger, Ind./Penn) hit .500 with 14 kills while adding four blocks.

Michigan Tech falls to 15-5 while Grand Valley State is now 12-7.

The Flyers improve to 20-1. Lewis has won 19 straight matches.

Lewis continues play at the Midwest Region Crossover on Saturday in a 1 p.m. first serve against Findlay.