INDIANAPOLIS – Lewis University's 14th ranked women's volleyball dropped the opening set but rallied to win the next three sets to defeat Indianapolis 3-1 (19-25, 25-20, 30-28, 25-18) on Tuesday evening at the Ruth Lily Center in Indianapolis. The win is the fifth straight for the Flyers and improves their record to 10-3, 5-0 GLVC while the Greyhounds fall to 6-7, 2-3 GLVC.

Lewis scored the opening point of the match on a kill from Juliana Van Loo (Burbank, Calif./John Burroughs) but the Hounds scored five of the next six points to take a 5-2 lead and wouldn't relinquish the lead for the remainder of the set. UIndy led by as many as six points in the set but the Flyers fought back to within 20-18 but couldn't complete the comeback as the Greyhounds closed the set on a 5-1 run to win the opener 25-19.

Lewis flipped the script in the second frame giving up the first point before running off 10 of the next 13 to take its largest lead of the set at 10-4. Like the Flyers in set one, the Hounds fought back cutting Lewis' lead to 17-15 after back-to-back kills from Elizabeth Eads. Lewis regained control of the set by scoring six of the next nine points to extend its lead to 23-18 on a kill from Van Loo. UIndy tried to make a final run getting to within 23-20 after a kill from Emma Jones but that was the closest it got as the Flyers got back-to-back kills from Ava Venema (Westmont, Ill./Timothy Christian) and Juliana Van Loo (Burbank, Calif./John Burroughs) to take the set 25-20 and even the match at a set apiece.

The Flyers held the lead for a majority of the third stanza and had five chances to close out the set but were unable too as the Greyhounds forced extra volleyball. Lewis led 27-26 after a kill from Megan Schelchte but back-to-back kills from Grace Hegwood and Eads gave the Hounds a 28-27 lead and forced the Flyers to call their final timeout of the set. Out of the timeout, Venema and Natalie Stefanski (Plainfield, Ill./Joliet West) teamed up to block Jones to even the frame at 28 and Lewis was able to close it out as Alex Equihua was called for a ball handling error and Stefanski finished it off with a kill.

The final stanza was tight early before the Flyers seized control with a 13-4 run breaking a 10-10 tie. Schlechte had three kills in that set deciding run while Stefanski, Venema and Van Loo added one apiece. Stefanski and Ally Hickey (Granger, Ind./Penn) each had an ace in that run as well. UIndy got to within six at 24-18 on a kill from Eads but Stenman ended the match with a kill on the next point to seal the victory.

Van Loo finished with a match-high 14 kills to lead three Lewis players in double figures. She was joined by Stefanski and Schlechte with 10 kills apiece while Venema finished with nine kills. Stenman had a match-high 51 assists and Jamie Poppen (Ballwin, Mo./Parkway West) had 24 digs. Van Loo also added three total blocks.

The Flyers finished the match hitting .226 recording 60 kills against 22 errors in 168 attempts.

Eads led the Greyhounds with 13 kills and was joined in double figures by Hegwood with 12 while Jones added 11 and Lauren Cullison and Hannah Huppenbauer finished with 10 kills each. Equiha had 50 assists and Makenna Barnhart finished with a match-high 33 digs.

Lewis begins a three-match homestand this Friday (Oct. 1) hosting Maryville at 7 p.m.