ROMEOVILLE, Ill. - The Lewis University women's volleyball team battled against Illinois-Springfield University on their Senior Day and came away with a 3-0 sweep in three sets on Saturday (Nov. 16). After the game, Lewis honored Ally Hickey (Granger, Ind./Penn), Keegan Carey (Orland Park, Ill./Carl Sandburg), Natalie Stefanski (Plainfield, Ill./Joliet West), Bella Ray (Plainfield, Ill./Joliet Catholic), Gracie Schultz (Minonk, Ill./Fieldcrest High School), Hannah Alvey (Mapleton, Ill./Illinois Central College) and Mallory Januski (Bourbonnais, Ill./Valparaiso). 

TEAM RECORDS
Illinois-Springfield 18-9, 8-5 GLVC | Lewis 19-10, 10-3 GLVC
                    
LEWIS LEADERS vs. Illinois-Springfield
Kills: Ray (16)
Digs: Alvey (17), Stefanski (15)
Assists: Lily King (Channahon, IL) (20), Rachel Kaczorowski (Carpentersville, Ill./Harry D. Jacobs) (18)
Aces: Kaczorowski (2)
Blocks: Ray (7)

SET BREAKDOWN vs. Illinois-Springfield
Set 1: Lewis 25, Illinois-Springfield 17
To begin the first set, Illinois-Springfield came out the gate strong to take a 3-1 lead with the help from a kill by Johnson and back-to-back serving aces by Glynou. It did not take long before Lewis evened the contest at 4-4 with kills by Schultz and Alvey. 

After some back-and-forth scoring between the teams, both sides tried pulling ahead with a Lewis three-point run followed by an Illinois-Springfield three-point run that put them ahead 10-8. The Flyers really pulled out front creating a sizable lead on a three-point unanswered run started by Alvey to make the score 20-15.

The Prairie Stars could not keep up down the homestretch after falling behind, as the Flyers secured the first set win with a five-point streak started and ended by Illinois-Springfield attacking errors, making the final score 25-17.

Set 2: Lewis 25, Illinois-Springfield 20
Moving into the second set, the Flyers and Prairie Stars countered each other well with alternating points. Up by one, Lewis added on with a three point rally with a kill and ace by Ray and kill by Schultz to extend the lead to 8-4.

Illinois-Springfield worked their way back to bring the score to within one at 12-11 in set two after a kill by Cox. Lewis answered later on with three points of their own on three kills by Kaczorowski, Januski and Alvey to push the score to 18-14. The Prairie Stars returned the favor with a four point unanswered rally started by a kill from Glynou to tie the set at 18-18 late.

Stefanski for Lewis secured the set two win with a kill to make the final score 25-20.

Set 3: Lewis 25, Illinois-Springfield 15
Januski opened the scoring for set three with a kill and assist by King. The same duo pushed the Flyers ahead afterwards with three point Lewis run to lead 4-1. The set continued with Lewis providing insurance to their lead throughout especially with another kill by Alvey that started yet another three point streak to put Lewis comfortably at 11-4. 

After the run, Illinois-Springfield reduced the sizable lead by two with back-to-back kills by Michels and Glynou to bring it to 11-6.

With the already marginal lead built by Lewis early, it was too much for Illinois-Springfield to overcome and eventually the set was finalized after a three point rally by the Flyers ended with a kill by Ray to secure the match win 25-15. 

UP NEXT
The Flyers have qualified for the GLVC Championship Tournament and are the No. 3 seed. Stay tuned for the opponent on www.lewisflyers.com. 

The tournament takes place from Friday, November 22 to Sunday, November 24 as the Flyers finished the regular season record of 19-10 and conference record of 10-3.