LAKELAND, Fla. -- The No. 14 Lewis University women's volleyball team started its 2024 season with a 3-1 victory against American International and a 3-0 sweep against Palm Beach Atlantic Friday (Sept. 6). 

TEAM RECORDS
No. 14 Lewis 1-0 | American International 0-1
                    
LEWIS LEADERS vs. AIC
Kills: Natalie Stefanski (Plainfield, Ill./Joliet West) (14), Bella Ray (Plainfield, Ill./Joliet Catholic) (12), Hannah Alvey (Mapleton, Ill./Illinois Central College) (12), Mallory Januski (Bourbonnais, Ill./Valparaiso) (10)
Digs:  Ally Hickey (Granger, Ind./Penn) (22), Hannah Alvey (Mapleton, Ill./Illinois Central College) (10)
Assists:  Lily King (Channahan, IL) (22), Rachel Kaczorowski (Carpentersville, Ill./Harry D. Jacobs) (18)
Blocks: Ray (8)
Aces:  Kaczorowski (2)

SET BREAKDOWN vs. AIC
Set 1: AIC 25, Lewis 19
American International started off the match by taking the first set 25-19. The Yellow Jackets and Flyers both scored a pair of points to start the opening game.

AIC went on a 4-1 rally to go ahead 6-3 early before Lewis responded with three straight to tie up. Both teams traded points to make it 10-10 before the Yellow Jackets scored five straight to pull away 15-10.

Lewis tried to crawl its way back with back-to-back kills from King and Januski but it was too late as AIC scored the next three to go ahead 19-12. The Flyers had one last push to make it 23-19 late in the set but American International recorded back-to-back points to take the first game 25-19.

Set 2: Lewis 25, AIC 17
Lewis responded to take the second set 25-17 after falling in the first. However, AIC led in the set 11-10 as the Yellow Jackets tried to make it 2-0 but the Flyers went on a 10-2 rally after an ace by Stefanski and a kill from Ray made it 20-13. 

AIC looked to recover and cut it down to 24-17 in favor of Lewis. King was able to tie the match at 1-1 after recording a kill.

Set 3: Lewis 25, AIC 17
Lewis grabbed the upper hand in the match after taking the third set 25-17. AIC went up 2-0 early before the Flyers rallied for nine straight after kills from Stefanski and Januski to make it 9-2 Lewis.

AIC outscored Lewis 5-2 to cut it down to 11-7 in favor of the Flyers. Lewis was able to grab the upper hand after a kill from King and an ace by Kaczorowski to make it 13-7.

The Yellow Jackets cut it down to 16-14 late in the third set looking to rally but Lewis was able to hold them off after Hannah Alvey (Mapleton, Ill./Illinois Central College) started a rally with a kill.  The Flyers won the third set after recording four straight kills which were from Kaczorowski, Keegan Carey (Orland Park, Ill./Carl Sandburg), Ray and Alvey to win it 25-17.

Set 4: Lewis 26, AIC 24
Lewis was able to win the match after winning a close fourth set 26-24 which went back-and-forth. AIC did jump to an early 6-1 lead before the Flyers rallied for five straight after Lauren Buxton (Springfield, Ill./Pleasant Plains) started it off a kill.

AIC went up 15-12 midway through the set before Lewis came back with three straight points capped off by a block from Ray and Stefanski to tie it at 15-15. The Yellow Jackets went on another rally and led 22-19 late before three straight from Lewis again including kills from Stefanski and Januski. 

The Yellow Jackets forced set point after grabbing a 24-23 lead but Lewis responded with three straight again including an ace from Kaczorowski to win the set 26-24 and the match 3-1.

GAME 2
TEAM RECORDS
No. 14 Lewis 2-0 | Palm Beach Atlantic 0-2
                    
LEWIS LEADERS vs. PBA
Kills: Ray (12), Januski (10)
Digs: Hickey (18), Stefanski (10)
Assists: Kaczorowski (22), King (22)
Blocks: Ray (8)
Aces:  Hickey (2), Stefanski (2), Kaczorowski (2)

SET BREAKDOWN vs. PBA
Set 1: Lewis 25, PBA 20
Lewis picked up where they left off from their morning match after taking the first set 25-20 after having total control of the set. Palm Beach Atlantic jumped out to an early 2-1 lead before Lewis rallied for four straight points which was capped off by an ace from Kaczorowski to make it 5-2.

The Sailfish cut it down to as low as two (20-18) but Lewis ended the first set on a 5-2 run which was capped off by a block from Carey and Ray to take the first set 25-20. Moments later, PBA count it down to 10-8 in favor of Lewis but the Flyers bounced back with three straight points including back-to-back aces from Hickey which made it 13-8.

Set 2: Lewis 25, PBA 17 
Both teams each scored four points to begin the second set to make it 4-4. Lewis then went on to score four straight of its own capped off by a kill from Ray to give the Flyers an early 8-4 advantage. 

PBA looked to get back in the set after outscoring Lewis 4-1 the next five points to cut it down to one (9-8) but the Flyers rallied again. Lewis went on to outscore the Sailfish 11-4 to grab a 20-12 lead.

Lewis was able to put Palm Beach Atlantic after a pair of kills from Avery Holubar (Bargersville, Ind./Center Grove) and Buxton gave the Flyers a 24-16 lead. PBA scored the next point then the Flyers got the next one and the set.

Set 3: Lewis 25, PBA 15
The Flyers never looked back in the third set and won it 25-15 and swept the match 3-0. Lewis led 4-2 early after a pair of kills from Ray but Palm Beach Atlantic scored four out of the next five to grab a 6-5 lead. 

Kills from Holubar and Januski gave the Flyers back a 7-6 lead. Both teams were tied 8-8 before Lewis scored five consecutive points to grab a 13-8 lead. 

PBA scored the next point then the Flyers scored three straight for a 16-9 lead which was capped off by a kill from Mya Bajramovic (Cary, Ill./West Virginia Wesleyan). The closest the Sailfish got was 17-11 midway through the third set before Lewis put the set essentially away after rallying for five straight for a 22-11 lead.

UP NEXT
Lewis will be back in action Saturday, September 7 as the Flyers take on (RV) Augusta at 8 a.m. then host Florida Southern at 4 p.m. CT.