WILLIAMSVILLE, Ill. -- The Lewis University women's volleyball team defeated Indianapolis 3-1 in the semifinals of the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament Saturday (November 23) to advance to their fourth straight championship game.
TEAM RECORDS
Lewis 21-10 | Indianapolis 19-11
LEWIS LEADERS vs. Indianapolis
Kills: Lauren Buxton (Springfield, Ill./Pleasant Plains) (12),
Bella Ray (Plainfield, Ill./Joliet Catholic) (12),
Hannah Alvey (Mapleton, Ill./Illinois Central College) (11)
Digs: Ally Hickey (Granger, Ind./Penn) (20),
Natalie Stefanski (Plainfield, Ill./Joliet West) (18)
Assists: Lily King (Channahon, IL) (24),
Rachel Kaczorowski (Carpentersville, Ill./Harry D. Jacobs) (22)
Aces: Kaczorowski (3)
Blocks: Mallory Januski (Bourbonnais, Ill./Valparaiso) (6)
SET BREAKDOWN vs. Indianapolis
Set 1: Lewis 25, Indianapolis 17
Both teams each scored five points to start the match before Lewis got back-to-back points including a kill from Stefanski to make it 7-5. Lewis never squandered the lead in the set after that.
The closest the Greyhounds got was 8-7 in favor of the Flyers. Lewis went on to score six straight points, which was capped off by a block from Buxton and Januski to extend the lead to 14-7.
Indianapolis tried to rally late and made it 20-14 Lewis but it was too late as Lewis outscored the Greyhounds 5-3 the rest of the way to win the set 25-17.
Set 2: Lewis 25, Indianapolis 22
Both teams scored three points to begin the second set. Lewis jumped out to an early 7-3 lead after a kill from
Gracie Schultz (Minonk, Ill./Fieldcrest High School) and a block by Ray.
Indianapolis charged back and scored six out of eight to tie it at 9-9. Lewis responded with three straight points on three consecutive kills from Schultz, Buxton and Januski to make it 12-9.
Moments later, the Flyers led 15-13 then the Greyhounds went on to score four in a row to grab a 17-15 advantage. Back-to-back kills from Ray quickly tied the set back up at 17-17.
The Greyhounds did not go away as they went on to score three straight to regain a 20-17 lead and then eventually went up 22-20. Lewis scored five unanswered to close out the second and go up 2-0.
Set 3: Indianapolis 25, Lewis 21
Each team scored two points to start the third before UIndy recorded the next pair and then never gave up the lead for the rest of the set. The Flyers did tie it a few times throughout the set but could not grab the advantage.
An attack error by the Greyhounds tied it at 14-14 but that was the last time it was tied all set. Indianapolis went on to outscore Lewis 10-4 the next 14 points to grab a 24-18 lead.
The Flyers looked to rally late after scoring three straight after kills from Buxton and Alvey as well as an ace from Kaczorowski. Indianapolis went on to score the next point and forced a fourth set.
Set 4: Lewis 25, Indianapolis 20
Both teams scored 12 points each to start the fourth before Lewis scored four straight, including a pair of blocks from Ray to make it 16-12. Moments later, Lewis went up 21-15 before Indianapolis scored four straight points to make it 21-19 in favor of the Flyers.
Buxton was able to put an end to the rally after recording a kill, which made it 22-19. The Greyhounds got the next point before Lewis went on to score three straight to close out the set and win it 25-20 and the match 3-1.
UP NEXT
Lewis will be back in action Sunday, November 24 as the Flyers look for their fourth straight GLVC Tournament Championship and take on fourth seed Rockhurst starting at noon CT.
