DENVER -- The Lewis University women's volleyball team defeated the No. 6 team in the country and forced five sets to the No. 1 team in Day One of the Colorado Premier Challenge hosted by Metro State-Denver Friday. The Flyers defeated No. 6 Metro State-Denver 3-1, then lost to No. 1 West Texas A&M 3-2. 

TEAM RECORDS
No. 1 West Texas A&M (5-0) | (RV) Lewis (3-2)
                    
LEWIS LEADERS vs. WTAM
Kills: Juliana Van Loo (Burbank, Calif./John Burroughs) (25), Megan Schlechte (Strasburg, Ill./Stewardson-Strasburg) (16), Madison Shroba (Bolingbrook, Ill./Bolingbrook) (12)
Digs: Schlechte (27), Ally Hickey (Granger, Ind./Penn) (23), Elena Gubera (Jamestown, Ind./Western Boone) (15)
Assists: Lauren Stenman (Maplewood, Minn./North St. Paul) (56)
Blocks: Emma O'Neill (Papillion, NE/Papillion La Vista South) (3), Sarah Newberry (Fairfield, Ohio/Stephen T Badin) (3), Schlechte (3)
Aces: Chloe Fornetti (Caledonia, Mich./East Kentwood) (3)

SET BREAKDOWN vs. WTAM
Set 1: WTAM 25, Lewis 20
Lewis jumped out to an early 4-2 lead in the opening set off the kill from Van Loo. The Flyers extended its lead to 9-4 moments later after a kill from Schlechte. 

Later in the set, Hannah Alvey (Mapleton, Ill./Illinois Central College) put Lewis ahead 15-12 midway through the set with a kill. West Texas A&M rallied for the next four of out five points to tie the set at 16-16.

Both teams would trade points, then the Buffaloes scored seven straight points to go ahead 24-18 and force set point. Back-to-back kills from Schlechte and Van Loo got Lewis got back into the game before West Texas A&M scored set point.

Set 2: WTAM 25, Lewis 15
The Buffaloes scored the first five points of the second, making it 5-0 early. Lewis looked to rally and scored three out of the next four points after a block by O'Neill and Van Loo. 

The Flyers tried to keep it close most of the set after Stenman recorded the kill before West Texas A&M pulled away. Van Loo recorded a kill, which made it 14-12 Buffaloes but that was the closest it got the rest of the set.

WTAM outscored Lewis 11-3 for the rest of the second set to take a 2-0 lead.

Set 3: Lewis 25, WTAM 19
Both teams scored six points apiece to start the third set before Lewis rallied for three straight, which was started by a kill from Schlechte. The Flyers did not give up the lead the rest of the set to force a fourth set.

Shroba gave Lewis a 14-11 lead midway through the set. The Buffaloes scored the next point before the Flyers rallied off four straight, including three kills from Schlechte, to extend the lead out to 18-12. 

Moments later, Van Loo recorded back-to-back kills to make it 23-15 before West Texas A&M scored four straight to make it 23-19 Lewis. The Flyers were able to close it out after back-to-back kills from Van Loo and Shroba. 

Set 4: Lewis 25, WTAM 22
Lewis jumped out to an early 4-2 lead after an ace from Fornetti. The Buffaloes responded with three straight points to grab a 5-4 lead. 

Both teams would trade points until Lewis went up 18-16 off a kill from Van Loo. West Texas A&M responded and tied the fourth set at 20-20 after rallying for three straight points. 

The Flyers responded with three straight of its own after an ace from Gubera made it 23-20. Lewis was able to close it out and win 25-22 to force a winner-take-all fifth set.

Set 5: WTAM 15, Lewis 10
West Texas A&M jumped out to an early 4-2 lead in the fifth set. Lewis responded with kills from Schlechte and O'Neill before the Buffaloes scored five straight points to go ahead 10-4. 

The Flyers tried to bounce back and get back in the set after back-to-back kills from Van Loo made it 12-9 WTAM late in the fifth set. The Buffaloes were able to close it out after scoring the next three out of four points to win the set and match.

GAME 2
TEAM RECORDS
(RV) Lewis (4-2) | No. 6 Metro State-Denver (3-3)
                    
LEWIS LEADERS vs. MSD
Kills: Schlechte (14), Schlechte (14)
Digs: Hickey (18), Fornetti (14), Stenman (12)
Assists: Stenman (37)
Blocks: O'Neill (4)
Aces: Stenman (3)

SET BREAKDOWN vs. MSU
Set 1: Lewis 25, MSU 19
Metro State jumped out to an early 4-0 lead in the opening set before Lewis responded with six out of the next eight points to tie it at 6-6 after a kill from Shroba. 

The Roadrunners scored the next two points before the Flyers bounced back with a 10-1 rally to go ahead 16-9. MSU was able to cut it down to 20-16 late in the first set before Lewis held them off and win 25-19.

Set 2: Lewis 25, MSU 18
Lewis opened the second set with a 6-2 lead after a kill from Schlechte. MSU answered with three straight points to cut it down to one, but Lewis had the upper hand. 

Sarah Newberry (Fairfield, Ohio/Stephen T Badin) was able to give the Flyers a 14-8 lead after recording a kill. The Roadrunners recorded the ensuing point before Lewis scored five straight for a 19-9 lead.

The Roadrunners tried to crawl back into the set after making it 22-17, but that was the closest they would get as the Flyers won the second 25-18.

Set 3: MSU 26, Lewis 24
MSU grabbed an early 10-5 lead in the third set looking to keep the match going. Lewis was able to respond with a 7-2 scoring rally to tie it at 13-13 midway through the set. 

Back-to-back kills from Shroba and Stenman gave the Flyers a 19-17 lead late in the set. The Roadrunners rallied with a 6-1 run to grab a 23-20 lead before Lewis scored four straight, including a block from Newberry and Stenman, to force match point at 24-23.

MSU recovered and scored three straight and win 26-24 to force a fourth set.

Set 4: Lewis 25, MSU 20
Both teams scored eight points to start the fourth set before Lewis scored three in a row which made it 11-8. Schlechte recorded a service ace to make it 13-9 in favor of the Flyers until the Roadrunners scored four straight to tie it 13-13. 

The two teams each recorded a point before Lewis put up four straight capped off by an ace from Gubera which made it 18-14. The closest the Roadrunners got was 19-17 late in the set. 

Lewis was able to win the fourth set 25-20 after Van Loo picked up back-to-back kills to win the match. 

UP NEXT
Lewis will be back for Day Two of the Colorado Premier Challenge Saturday (Sept. 9) as the Flyers take on Ferris State at Regis University starting at 10 a.m. CT.