FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The seventh ranked Lewis women's volleyball team rallied for a five set win over No. 15 Palm Beach Atlantic on Saturday morning at the Nova Southeastern Shark Invitational in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. The Flyers trailed by four match points in the fifth set but scored the final six points of the match to pull out the come from behind victory.

In its second match of the day Lewis swept Puerto Rico-Mayaguez (25-13, 25-22, 28-26) to complete the weekend 4-0.

No. 7 Lewis 3, No. 15 Palm Beach Atlantic 2 (26-24, 21-25, 25-27, 25-20, 16-14)
The Flyers trailed by as many as three in the opening set but used a late run to take a 23-22 lead after an attack error by Amber Rowoldt. The Sailfish (3-1) got back-to-back kills from Rowoldt and Emma Pieper to retake the lead at 24-23 and forced Lewis to take its final timeout of the frame. Megan Schlechte (Strasburg, Ill./Stewardson-Strasburg) recorded back-to-back kills to give the Flyers the lead back and forced Palm Beach Atlantic to take its last timeout of the set. Lewis would win the set on the next point as an attack error by Rowoldt gave the Flyers the win.

The second frame saw 11 ties and five lead changes but the Sailfish were able to gain some separation thanks to a 6-2 run that broke a 15-all tie. The Flyers fought back to within 22-21 with a kill from Colleen Wilhelm (Euclid, Ohio/Lake Catholic) but Palm Beach Atlantic scored the final three points of the set to win 25-21 and even the match at set apiece.  

The Sailfish led by six midway through the third set before Lewis came all the way back to tie the stanza at 23. PBA regained the lead to reach set point first but the Flyers staved off the first set point with a kill from Wilhelm. The Sailfish regained the lead again on a kill from Rowoldt but once again Lewis staved off set point this time with a kill from Alexandra Preuss (Elmhurst, Ill./York). Caroline Swan gave PBA the lead again and this time closed it out with a kill from Sam Wolf.

The Flyers trailed 12-9 in the fourth set before going on a 10-3 run to take a 19-15 lead. Ava Venema (Westmont, Ill./Timothy Christian) had a pair of kills in the run while Schlechte and Jamie Poppen (Ballwin, Mo./Parkway West) each had an ace in the run. The Sailfish cut the lead to two but Lewis closed the frame on a 5-2 run to win 25-20 and force the fifth and deciding set. Venema had five of her career-high 17 kills in the fourth set.

The final set didn't start well for the Flyers as they trailed 5-0 and 9-4. They fought back to within 10-9 but the Sailfish scored five of the next six points and looked to be in control leading 14-10 after a kill from Swan. An error by Lilly Turner opened the door and Lewis broke it down scoring the next five points to win the set 16-14. Poppen had an ace in the run while Preuss and Wilhelm had a kill each.

Venema led four Flyers in double figures with 17 kills. Schlechte added 16, Wilhelm finished with 15 and Preuss had 11. Mikah Freppon (Cold Spring, Ky./Newport Central Catholic) had a career-high 54 assists and Poppen had 20 digs. Venema also had seven total blocks in the contest.

No. 7 Lewis 3 Puerto-Rico-Mayaguez 0 (25-13, 25-22, 28-26)
In their final match of the weekend, Lewis won in straight sets over the Tarzans. Preuss and Venema each recorded double figures in kills with 13 and 10 respectively while Freppon had 20 assists and Poppen recorded 21 digs.

The Flyers rolled in the opening set hitting .346 (11 kills/2 errors/26 chances) and held the Puerto Rico-Mayaguez to a .143 attack percentage (9k/5e/28ta). Preuss, Schlechte and Venema had three kills each in the frame.

Lewis led by seven points in the middle stanza but the Tarzans came back to cut the lead to 20-19 on a solo block by Jovirelys Ayala. The Flyers scored four of the next five points to extend their lead to 24-21 on a kill from Preuss. P.R.-Mayaguez cut the lead to 24-22 on a kill from Ayala. Lewis closed it out as Preuss knocked home a kill to give it the set 25-22.

The Flyers led by as many as four points in the final set but the Tarzans rallied to take the lead at 24-22. Lewis fought off two set points to even things at 24. P.R.-Mayaguez had two more chances to extend the match but the Flyers scored the final three points of the match to win the set 28-26.

The Flyers return to action next Friday in the Colorado Premiere Challenge in Denver. Lewis will take on No. 16 Barry (Fla.) at 12 p.m. (CDT) in their opening pool match and then will face No. 17 Central Missouri at 7 p.m. (CDT). Both matches will be played at Metro State.