Hammond, Ind. – The Lewis University women's volleyball team picked up a pair of signature wins on day one of the Midwest Crossover as they defeated then 13-3 Walsh, 3-1 and No. 23 Grand Valley State, 3-0 on Friday.
The Flyers improved to 12-8 with their pair of wins while the Cavaliers slipped to 13-5. As for the Lakers, they moved to 12-5 after day one of the crossover.
HOW IT HAPPENED (VS WALSH)
After winning the first set 25-20, the Flyers found themselves down 12-10 midway through the second frame. A kill from junior
Mary Zielinski (Palos Hills, Ill./Stagg) on the very next point kicked-off a short 4-0 spurt that gave them the lead for good, 14-12. Despite Walsh bringing the score to within one moments later, 16-15, the red and white gave themselves breathing room after a kill from senior Emma O'Neil started another run, this time a 4-1 spurt, that put Lewis ahead, 20-16.
The two sides traded the final scores of the frame with Lewis sealing the set two win with a kill from freshman
Ann Kelly Velikov (Orvault, France/C.E.N.S.) and a Walsh attack error to take the frame, 25-19 and a 2-0 match lead.
Walsh staved off elimination in the third set as they used a .357 hitting percentage to take stanza, 25-21 and make it a 2-1 contest.
Down one, 12-11, in the fourth set, the Lewis offense took off as another Velikov kill started a 9-2 run which catapulted Lewis ahead, 20-14. Even with a late push from Walsh, Lewis rattled off four of the next six points to take the frame, 25-20 and win the match, 3-1.
Sophomore
Marin Grossman (Hortonville, Wis./Hortonville) paced Lewis with 17 kills, junior
Lily King (Channahon, Ill./Kent State) dished out a team-best 25 assists and redshirt junior
Rachel Kaczorowski (Carpentersville, Ill./Harry D. Jacobs) notched a match-best four aces. On the defensive side of the ball, O'Neil and junior
Sarah Newberry (Fairfield, Ohio/Stephen T Badin) each amassed five total blocks (O'Neil – 3 Solo, 2 Assists/Newberry – 1 Solo, 4 Assist) while junior
Elena Gubera (Jamestown, Ind./Western Boone) tallied 22 digs.
Kameron Stover led Walsh with 19 kills while AJ Burick tallied a match-best 44 assists. Locie Levengood notched 29 digs in the loss for the Cavaliers.
HOW IT HAPPENED (VS #23 GRAND VALLEY STATE)
Lewis controlled most of the first set and used a .227 hitting percentage compared to .140 for No. 23 Grand Valley State to win, 25-19 and command an early 1-0 lead.
Tied 19-19 late in the second set, the Lakers struck first as a Kennedy Arp kill made it a 20-19 ballgame. Still, the Flyers replied as they rattled off the next six scores, bookended by kills from senior
Mya Bajramovic (Cary, Ill./West Virginia Wesleyan) and Newberry to take the frame, 25-20 and a 2-0 lead in the match.
In the third set, Grand Valley State used multiple scoring spurts early in the stanza to command a 16-10 lead midway through the set. The Flyers began their comeback effort on the very next point as they tallied three of the next four scores to make it a 17-14 contest. The very next point, Flyers snagged the lead for good as an untimely attack error for Grand Valley State ushered in a 5-0 run that put Lewis ahead, 19-17. After trading the next few scores, the Flyers sealed the upset for good as they rattled off three of the next four points, capped by the tenth kill of the match from senior
Avery Holubar (Bargersville, Ind./Center Grove) to claim the 25-21 set three win and 3-0 upset victory.
Holubar and Newberry paced Lewis with 10 kills each in the upset win while King notched 17 assists. Gubera led Lewis in digs for the second time on Friday with 16 digs while at the net, Newberry and Grossman each amassed three total blocks (Newberry – 1 Solo, 2 Assists/Grossman – 3 Assists)
Meghan O'Sullivan had nine kills and a team-best 17 assists in the loss for the Lakers. Kendall Stover tallied 18 digs and two block assists on the defensive side of the ball for Grand Valley State.
POSTMATCH COMMENTS
MATCH NOTES
- Lewis has now won seven of the last eight contests against GVSU and is now 4-1 against Walsh all-time.
- Lewis snagged it's second top-25 upset of the year and first since Sept. 5 at #17 Wingate.
- O'Neil had five-or-more blocks for the seventh time this year with her five against Walsh.
- Holubar had 10-or-more kills for the first time in her collegiate career with her 10 tallies against GVSU.
- King dished out 20-or-more assists for the third time this year with her 25 helped against Walsh. It was also one shy of her season-high which she set on Oct. 10 at Maryville.
UP NEXT
Lewis will compete in day two of the Midwest Crossover Tomorrow.
50 YEARS OF WOMEN'S ATHLETICS
Lewis University is also organizing several alumni and family events throughout the women's athletic seasons to commemorate this historic milestone. These special gatherings will provide an opportunity for former athletes, families, and supporters to reconnect and celebrate the achievements of women's sports at Lewis. The scheduled events include:
- Women's Volleyball (Nov. 14)
For the latest news, scores, and updates on Lewis women's volleyball, visit LewisFlyers.com and follow the Flyers on social media at @Lewisuwvb on Instagram and @LewisWVBall on X.
