Point Loma, Calif. -- The Lewis University women's volleyball team swept both of its matches in the Point Loma Seaside Invitational Saturday (Sept. 2), beating both Point Loma and Biola 3-1.
TEAM RECORDS
(RV) Lewis (2-1) | Point Loma (1-1)
LEWIS LEADERS vs. PLNU
Kills: Megan Schlechte (Strasburg, Ill./Stewardson-Strasburg) (17)
Digs: Ally Hickey (Granger, Ind./Penn) (15)
Assists: Lauren Stenman (Maplewood, Minn./North St. Paul) (42)
Blocks: Sarah Newberry (Fairfield, Ohio/Stephen T Badin) (3)
Aces: Stenman (3), Elena Gubera (Jamestown, Ind./Western Boone) (3)
SET BREAKDOWN vs. PLNU
Set 1: Lewis 31, Point Loma 29
Point Loma took an early 4-2 lead, but Lewis fought back by taking seven of the next eight points to grab a 9-5 advantage. The Sea Lions charged back with a 6-0 run, but the Flyers claimed a 7-0 run of their own later in the set to take an 18-13 lead.
Lewis and Point Loma continued battling down the stretch, tying at 24 to force the set to go past 25 points before the Flyers finally won the set 31-29 capped off by a service ace by Gubera.
Set 2:Â Point Loma 25, Lewis 17
Lewis jumped out to a 5-2 lead to start the second set, but Point Loma battled back with consistent kills in the middle of the set.
The score was 16-16 before the Sea Lions went on a backbreaking 8-0 run. Point Loma ended the set two serves later on a service error by the Flyers.
Set 3: Lewis 25, Point Loma 20
The Flyers came out swinging in set three, taking a 5-0 lead that prompted a Point Loma timeout. The teams went back-and-forth after the timeout, with a 3-0 run either way making the score 13-7 in favor of Lewis.
Lewis was looking to put the set away with a 23-15 advantage, but the Sea Lions went on a 4-0 run to battle back. The Flyers' defense proved too strong, though, holding Point Loma to just a .070 hitting percentage in the set.
Set 4: Lewis 25, Point Loma 15
Lewis once again started the set strong, looking to put the match away. The Flyers took an 8-4 advantage before the Sea Lions took a timeout.
After the pause, Point Loma battled back to within one point with the score 11-10, but then Lewis got hot again. The Flyers took six of the next eight points, including four kills by Schlechte, to go ahead 17-12.
Lewis would close the set with a 5-0 run to secure the match win.
GAME 2
TEAM RECORDS
(RV) Lewis (3-1) | Biola (2-1)
LEWIS LEADERS vs. Biola
Kills: Schlechte (16)
Digs: Stenman (17)
Assists: Stenman (41)
Blocks: Newberry (8)
Aces: Hickey (3), Chloe Fornetti (Caledonia, Mich./East Kentwood) (3)
SET BREAKDOWN vs. Biola
Set 1: Lewis 25, Biola 22
After going back-and-forth early, Lewis put together a 5-1 run to capture a 7-4 lead in the opening set. Another 5-1 burst for the Flyers made it 15-9 later in the set.
A .289 hitting percentage and three service aces helped Lewis hold off Biola and capture the match lead early, with Juliana Van Loo (Burbank, Calif./John Burroughs) having the kill to clinch the first set.Â
Set 2: Lewis 25, Biola 22
Lewis dug itself a hole at the start of the second set, falling behind 7-1. The Eagles kept going strong, pushing the lead to 16-9, before the Flyers got red hot with a 9-1 run to take an 18-17 lead.
Both teams traded 3-0 runs and the set was tied 21-21, but that's when Lewis took over once again. The Flyers earned four of the final five points, capped off by a kill from Schlechte to make it 2-0 Lewis.
Set 3: Biola 25, Lewis 20
Neither team could gain separation early in the third set, as the squads were tied at 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7 and 9. Biola then went on a 4-0 run to make it 13-9.
Lewis came back within one, 16-15, but was unable to match the Eagles the rest of the way. Biola hit .367 in the third to force a fourth set.
Set 4: Lewis 25, Biola 20
The Flyers charged out of the gate in set four, determined to put the match away. Lewis built a 9-1 lead early with four kills on its first six attacks of the set, while Biola had four attack errors before its first kill.
Biola pushed back, however, trimming the deficit to 10-7 with back-to-back service aces by Dominique Kirton. The Eagles kept the pressure up, eventually tying the set at 13.
After Lewis had worked its way to a 17-15 lead, the Flyers went on a 4-0 run looking to put the match away. Schlechte once again took over late in the match, earning the last two points for Lewis with a pair of kills.
Emma O'Neill (Papillion, Neb./Papillion La Vista South) earned her first double-digit kill match in her collegiate career, finishing the match with 14 kills.
Up Next
The Lewis University Flyers will be in action again next Friday (Sept. 8) in the Colorado Premier Challenge, taking on West Texas A&M at 10 a.m. and Metro State at 6 p.m. CT.
