SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- The Lewis University women's volleyball team won its second straight Great Lakes Valley Conference contest to start 2024 on Saturday (Sept. 28) with a 3-1 victory against Drury. 

Team Records
Lewis 8-5, 2-0 GLVC | Drury 6-6, 0-2 GLVC

LEWIS Leaders Vs. Drury 
Kills: Hannah Alvey (Mapleton, Ill./Illinois Central College) (17), Natalie Stefanski (Plainfield, Ill./Joliet West) (15), Bella Ray (Plainfield, Ill./Joliet Catholic) (18)
Digs: Elena Gubera (Jamestown, Ind./Western Boone) (23), Lily King (Channahan, IL) (18), Stefanski (17), Alvey (10)
Assists: King (26), Rachel Kaczorowski (Carpentersville, Ill./Harry D. Jacobs) (17), Gubera (11)
Aces: Alvey (3)
Blocks: Alvey (6), Ray (6)

SET BREAKDOWN Vs. Drury
Set 1: Lewis 25, Drury 21
Coming off of a conference win the night before, Lewis went into the first set with high energy, after starting the set 1-0. The Flyers quickly turned it around by going on a four point run with a kill from Emma O'Neill (Papillion, NE/Papillion La Vista South) and an additional two kills from Buxton. Both teams exchanged points, but kills from Buxton, Ray, and Alvey moved the set to 8-4 in favor of the Flyers.

Drury was able to make the set closer, connecting a string of point sto make the set 12-10 in Lewis' favor. The Flyers responded with a four point run off of more kills by Alvey and Ray with an attacking error by the Panthers. This gave Lewis the cushion they needed heading into the end of the set with both teams trading points and short runs. With the game at 20-19, Lewis used a burst of offense to close out the set. Three kills by Alvey, a kill by Natalie Stefanski (Plainfield, Ill./Joliet West) (Plainfield, Ill./Joliet West) and a ball handling error ended the set in Lewis' favor.

Set 2: Drury 26, Lewis 24
The Panthers struck first in the second set though a five point Lewis run quickly met it. Two kills by Stefanski, a kill by Buxton and two blocks by the combined Buxton and O'Neil gave Lewis an early 5-1 lead. After some back and forth the Flyers went on a four point run with Kills by Stefanski, Alvey and Ray with a service ace by Kaczorowski

The Flyers kept a steady lead through the middle of the set, but the Panthers kept themselves active offensively. Drury put up a four point run three times in the later half of set number two, and while the Flyers had short bursts of offense, it wasn't enough to slow the Panthers. Drury walked awy with the second set, tying the match at one set a piece.

Set 3: Lewis 25, Drury 18
Drury kept the offense flowing in set number three with a quick three point run, which Lewis turned around and went on a four point run of their own. The run began with a service error by Drury followed by two blocks by Alvey and Ray followed by a service ace from Gubera.

Drury took the lead back after with a run of their own. The next few serves and drives were a back and forth exchange from both teams. Lewis had a small three point run to take a one point lead from a kill and service ace by Ray.

With a 12-10 Drury lead, the Flyers went on a seven point run with Kills by Alvey and Buxton, blocks by Alvey, Buxton and Mallory Januski (Bourbonnais, Ill./Valparaiso). The Panthers put upa quick kill to stop the run, only for Lewis to respond with an additional five point run with kills by Buxton and Ray. When it came time to close the set, a service ace by Alvey gave set number three to Lewis. 

Set 4: Lewis 25, Drury 11
Lewis started set number four in the lead thanks to a ball handling error by Drury, who would respond to the mistake with a three point run. Drury continued to make errors giving Lewis footing in the set. Lewis would then go on a three point run off of a Mya Bajramovic (Cary, Ill./West Virginia Wesleyan) kill and two service aces from Alvey. 

The Flyers would go on short runs the remainder of the set. The longest being a five point run which included a kill by Stefanski, two kills and a block by Januski and a kill by Buxton. The run brought the score to 15-7 which Drury responded with a quick kill to make it 15-8. The Flyers returned Drury's kill with a six point drive with kills by Buxton, Alvey and Stefanski. 

Alvey secured two more points for Lewis in the middle of a three point run. The only time Lewis didn't have a run after scoring was the final kill by Alvey to end both set number four and the match.

UP NEXT
The Flyers continue conference play as Lewis hosts Rockhurst Friday, October 4 for Flyer Fanatics Red Out Night starting at 6 p.m. CT.