DENVER -- The No. 23 Lewis University women's volleyball team split its two contests at the Colorado Premier Challenge Friday (Sept. 13). The Flyers lost to No. 5 Concordia-St. Paul 3-0 before sweeping (RV) Seattle Pacific 3-0.

TEAM RECORDS
No. 5 Concordia-St. Paul 4-1 | No. 23 Lewis 2-3
                    
LEWIS LEADERS vs. CSP
Kills:  Bella Ray (Plainfield, Ill./Joliet Catholic) (9)
Digs:  Ally Hickey (Granger, Ind./Penn) (19)
Assists:  Lily King (Channahan, IL) (17)
Blocks:  Bella Ray (Plainfield, Ill./Joliet Catholic) (5)

SET BREAKDOWN vs. CSP
Set 1: CSP 28, Lewis 26
Concordia St. Paul jumped out to an early 1-0 lead after taking the first set 28-26. The Golden Bears went up 8-4 early before Lewis went on a 5-0 rally capped off by a block from Ray and Keegan Carey (Orland Park, Ill./Carl Sandburg) to give the Flyers a 9-8 lead.

Both teams went back and forth for a while during the set while CSP were up 22-19 before Lewis responded and forced set point at 24-23. Both teams traded points before the Golden Bears put the set away and won 28-26.

Set 2: CSP 25, Lewis 21
Lewis looked to respond in the second set but CSP took a 2-0 lead after winning the second set 25-21. Both teams were tied at 4-4 before the Golden Bears rallied off four in a row to grab an 8-4 lead. 

CSP put up another rally and scored five straight to pull its lead up to eight (14-6) before Lewis scored three straight including a block from Mallory Januski (Bourbonnais, Ill./Valparaiso) and Lauren Buxton (Springfield, Ill./Pleasant Plains) then a kill from King. 

Moments later, Lewis rallied to tie it at 19-19 after a kill from Buxton. CSP ended the second set on a 6-2 run to take a 2-0 set lead.

Set 3: CSP 25, Lewis 22
CSP swept the match after winning the third and final set 25-22. The Golden Bears jumped out to an early 4-1 lead before Lewis scored five out of the next six points to grab a 6-5 lead.

The Flyers went up 10-8 moments later but that would be their last lead of the match as Concordia-St. Paul took advantage after scoring the next 10 out of 12 points. 

GAME 2
TEAM RECORDS
No. 23 Lewis 3-3 | (RV) Seattle Pacific 0-5
                    
LEWIS LEADERS vs. SPU
Kills: Natalie Stefanski (Plainfield, Ill./Joliet West) (10)
Digs:  Hannah Alvey (Mapleton, Ill./Illinois Central College) (13), Hickey (12), Stefanski (10)
Assists: King (24), Rachel Kaczorowski (Carpentersville, Ill./Harry D. Jacobs) (17)
Blocks: Januski (3)
Aces: Avery Holubar (Bargersville, Ind./Center Grove) (1), Hickey (1), King (1), Ray (1)

SET BREAKDOWN vs. SPU
Set 1: Lewis 25, SPU 19
Lewis bounced back from its earlier match and won the first set 25-19. Seattle Pacific scored the first two points before the Flyers grabbed the next two to make it 2-2.

SPU recorded back-to-back points before Lewis rallied for nine straight points which were capped off by three kills, one from Ray, Holubar and Keegan Carey (Orland Park, Ill./Carl Sandburg) to make it 12-4 in favor of the Flyers. The closest the Falcons got was 21-18 in favor of Lewis but the Flyers scored four out of the next five points to win the set.

Set 2: Lewis 29, SPU 27
The second set was close and a came of rallies as Lewis came out on top 29-27. The Flyers jumped out to an early 4-0 lead off the kill from Carey.

Lewis never trailed in the second set but it was tied a few times. The Flyers led 21-15 late in the second set before SPU scored four straight to cut it down to two (21-19). 

The Flyers forced set point after winning the next three points which made it 24-19 but the Falcons rallied again for five straight points to tie it at 24-24. Both teams each traded three points at 27-27 before Lewis scored back-to-back points to win it.

Set 3: Lewis 25, SPU 16
Lewis used its momentum from the second set to grab an early 6-1 lead in the third which allowed them to win the third set 25-16 and the match 3-0. Seattle Pacific tried to get back in the set after getting two straight points to make it 6-3 Flyers.

The Flyers went up 17-7 later in the set thanks to a block from Alvey and Emma O'Neill (Papillion, NE/Papillion La Vista South) and a kill from Alvey. The closest the Falcons got the rest of the way was 18-11 in favor of the Flyers but Lewis came out on top.

Lewis ended the match by winning back-to-back points including a kill from Stefanki and an ace from Ray.

UP NEXT
Lewis will be back in action Saturday, September 14 with opponent TBD.