BOLIVAR, Mo. -- The Lewis University women's volleyball team started conference play on Friday (Sept. 27) with a 3-2 win against Southwest Baptist. 

Team Records
Lewis 7-5, 1-0 GLVC | SBU 6-7, 0-1 GLVC

LEWIS Leaders Vs. SBU
Kills: Bella Ray (Plainfield, Ill./Joliet Catholic) (18)
Digs: Elena Gubera (Jamestown, Ind./Western Boone) (28)
Assists: Rachel Kaczorowski (Carpentersville, Ill./Harry D. Jacobs) (24)
Aces: Kaczorowski (3)
Blocks: Ray (5)

SET BREAKDOWN Vs. SBU
Set 1: SBU 25, Lewis 22
Lewis started out with a 3-1 lead early in the match on Friday, after Natalie Stefanski (Plainfield, Ill./Joliet West) began the scoring with a kill off of the assist from Lily King (Channahan, IL). The Flyers were unable to generate any significant runs, only scoring twice in a row several times in the first set.

On the opposite side of the floor, the Bearcats stringed together several deep runs which made it difficult for the Flyers to create momentum. 

Set 2: Lewis 25, SBU 19
For the second set in a row, Lewis got out to a 3-1 lead thanks to kills from Stefanski. The Bearcats responded with a five point run to put the Flyers back by three.

Lewis trailed a large portion of the match but kept it within striking distance. With Southern Baptist leading 14-13, Lauren Buxton (Springfield, Ill./Pleasant Plains) began a five point run with a kill to tie the set.

Two kills from Hannah Alvey (Mapleton, Ill./Illinois Central College), a service ace from Gubera and an error from the Bearcats gave Lewis the 17-14 lead. 

Lewis continued scoring in the second set, more kills by Stefanski with strong net play by Mya Bajramovic (Cary, Ill./West Virginia Wesleyan) and Ray gave Lewis the final push to win the second set. 

Set 3: Lewis 25, SBU 23
With an attack error and two kills by Alvey and Emma O'Neill (Papillion, NE/Papillion La Vista South) gave Lewis an early 3-0 lead. The Flyers led the entire third set yet the Bearcats did make the set competitive by keeping in close throughout the contest.

The Flyers' first of two three-point runs began with a kill by Buxton, a bad set by the Bearcats and another kill by Alvey. Their second three-point run came after Southern Baptist had one of their own, two attack errors and a kill by Buxton pushed the score to 17-12.

Both teams continued to exchange points and near the end it was either team's game. Two attacking errors ended the set and Lewis walked away leading the match two sets to one. 

Set 4: SBU 25, Lewis 22
The Bearcats began set number four going up 2-0 early, The Flyers responded with a seven point run to give them a large lead with match point. The run included three errors and four kills by Stefanski, O'Neil, King and Gubera.

Unfortunately the Flyers were not able to get any longer scoring drives and allowed the Bearcats to slowly work their way back in. With the game tied at 15, Lewis was able to put up four point compared to Southern Baptist's one, however a five point run gave the Bearcats the lead they needed heading into the end of the set. 

Set 5 Lewis 17, SBU 15
The final set of the match came down to the wire with a conference victory on the line. Southern Baptist stuck first to which Lewis immediately responded with a Kill from Alvey.

The set was close at the start, when Lewis went on a four point run thanks to an attack error and three straight kills from Ray. Southern Baptist would soon later go on a five point run taking the lead from Lewis, Stefanski would respond right after with a kill to tie the game at ten.

Both teams would go back and forth for a few points until the game was tied at 15. With a win by two format both teams wre looking for a last burst of energy to pull ahead and close the match.

A kill by Ray off an assist from Kaczorowski moved the Flyers to 16 and finally a kill by Bajramovic sealed the match, and Lewis walked away with their first conference win of the season.

UP NEXT
The Flyers continue conference play as they travel to Springfield, Missouri to take on Drury. Match is at 3 p.m. CST on September 28.