DENVER, Colo. – Lewis University's fifth ranked women's volleyball team dropped two matches on the final day of the Colorado Premiere Challenge at the Auraria Events Center in Denver, Colo. The Flyers dropped their first match of the day to Regis 3-1 (20-25, 21-25, 25-22, 25-27) and dropped the finale to 10th ranked Central Missouri 3-2 (25-23, 14-25, 21-25, 25-22, 5-15).
Megan Schlechte (Strasburg, Ill./Stewardson-Strasburg) lead three Lewis (5-3) players in double figures against the Rangers (4-3) with a season-high 18 kills while
Natalie Stefanski (Plainfield, Ill./Joliet West) added a career-high 15 kills and
Ava Venema (Westmont, Ill./Timothy Christian) finished with 13 kills.
The Flyers hit .156 in the match recording 60 kills against 28 errors in 205 chances.
Lauren Stenman (Maplewood, Minn./North St. Paul) had a career-high 41 assists and Stefanski finished with a career-high 23 digs in the match.
Bella Ray (Plainfield, Ill./Joliet Catholic) had six total blocks in the contest.
Regis was led by Rachel Siurek who had a team-high 17 kills while Halle Theis and Nadine Burbrink added 11 and 10 kills respectively. The Rangers hit .183 for the match (56 kills/22 errors/186 total attacks). Mara LaGrand had 41 assists and a match-high 29 digs.
In the second match of the day Lewis took the opening set against the Jennies before losing the next two but won the fourth set to force a winner take-all fifth which was dominated by UCM.
After setting a career-high in the morning match against Regis, Stefanski topped that total with 16 kills while Schlechte added 13 kills and Venema finished with nine kills. Stenman topped her career-high of 41 assists with 43 against the Jens while
Jamie Poppen (Ballwin, Mo./Parkway West) finished with 24 digs and Ray added five total blocks.
The Flyers hit .124 (57 kills/33 errors/193 chances) in the contest while Central Missouri hit .257 (62 kills/19 errors/167 total attacks).
Kersi Nix finished with a match-high 19 kills to lead the Jennies while Sydney Lierz and Audrey Fisher added 12 and 11 kills respectively. Ally Offerdahl handed out 45 assists and had a match-high 25 digs. Hannah Engelken had six total blocks in the match.
Lewis opens its home schedule this coming Thursday (Sept. 16) hosting Quincy in the Great Lakes Valley Conference opener for both teams at 7 p.m. at Neil Carey Arena. Thursday's match will be the annual "Red Out" Night with fans encouraged to wear red. Face masks will be required to worn by spectators for the match and social distance is encouraged.
