Denver - The Lewis University women's volleyball team dropped both of their matched on the first day of the Colorado Premier Tournament, hosted by Metro State and Regis, as they fell 3-1 to Wayne State and 3-0 to No.3 ranked Metro State
Lewis saw their record shift to 3-3 after day one of the tournament. Wayne State and Metro State both moved to 5-1 after day one.
HOW IT HAPPENED (VS WAYNE STATE)
Down 24-18, the Flyers clawed their way back into the first set as an attack error from Mattie Kamery of Wayne State kicked-off a 6-0 run that let Lewis tie the match, 24-24. During the run, Wayne State committed five attack errors as well. The two sides exchanged the next three scores, but a kill from freshman
Ann Kelly Velikov (Orvault, France/C.E.N.S.) ignited a short 3-0 spurt that sealed the 28-26 first set comeback win for the Flyers and put the red and white ahead, 1-0.
Wayne State flipped the script in the second set as they used multiple long attacking runs and posted a hitting percentage of .560 (16-2-25) to take the frame, 25-10 and tie the match, 1-1.
The Wildcats continued to roll in the third set as they again used multiple long scoring runs, highlighted by an 8-0 spurt midway through the frame, to command a 22-8 lead. Despite Lewis scoring seven of the next nine points, Wayne State sealed the set with a kill from Mattie Kamery to take the third set, 25-15 and jump ahead to a 2-1 match lead.
With the score tied 10-10 in the fourth set, the Wildcats took the lead for good as they embarked on a 7-1 run to go up, 16-11. Both teams continued to trade points and even with a late 5-3 spurt from the Flyers, the Wildcats held on as they rattled off the final three points of the set to seal the 25-18 frame victory and take the match, 3-1.
Chloe Hanel led Wayne State with 18 kills while Molly Romano added in a match-high 47 assists. Kamery and Reese Johnson each had 19 digs for the Wildcats in the win. Wayne State ended the match hitting at a clip of .268 (59-21-142) compared to .097 (40-26-145) for the Flyers.
Lauren Buxton (Springfield, Ill./Pleasant Plains) led Lewis with 12 kills and two aces while freshman
Kaileigh Krawiec (Roselle, Ill./Lake Park) added in 13 assists in the losing effort. On the defensive side of the ball, Velikov totled a team best four total blocks while Buxton added in 13 digs.
HOW IT HAPPENED (VS #3 METRO STATE)
Metro State took the first set 25-19 after hitting .316 as a team with Annika Helf putting down six of the roadrunners 18 kills individually.
In a tighly contested second set, a kill from Buxton followed by an attack error from the Roadrunners gave the Flyers a slim 20-17 lead. However, Metro State battled back and used a 6-1 run to reclaim the lead, 23-21. Lewis responded by scoring three of the next four points to tie the match, 24-24. Still, the host Roadrunners were able to escape the frame as Alyssa Boyte tallied back-to-back kills to take the frame, 26-24 and jump ahead 2-0.
With the two sides tied 6-6 in the penultimate frame, Metro State took control as they embarked on an 8-3 run to give themselves a 14-9 cushion. The roadrunners never looked back and ended the match scoring four consecutive points to take the final stanza, 25-14 and complete the 3-0 sweep.
Helf led Metro State with 10 kills and 13 digs while her teammate GabriElle Brewer tallied 21 assists. As a team, the Roadrunners ended the match with a hitting percentage of .231 (45-15-130) compared to .167 (29-12-102) for Lewis.
Velikov led Lewis in kills with nine while Krawiec dished out 17 assists. On the defensive side of the ball, senior Emma O'Neil tallied six total blocks while junior
Elena Gubera (Jamestown, Ind./Western Boone) notched 17 digs.
MATCH NOTES
- Lewis is now 0-2 all-time against Wayne State and 4-3 against Metro Stat
- Senior Emma O'Neil has recorded at least two blocks in all six matches this season.
- Excluding the 2020 season which was affected due to COVID-19, Lewis has played in the Colorado Premier Tournament each year since 2016.
- Lewis ended a match without a service ace for the first time since Sept. 13, 2024 against Concordia St. Paul
- Freshman Addison Lampe (Breese, Ill./Mater Dei) made her Lewis debut with her appearance against Metro State.
- Lewis faced a team ranked within the top five nationally during the regular season for the first time since Sept. 13, 2024 against Concordia St. Paul also at the Colorado Premier Challenge.
UP NEXT
Lewis will play in two more matches to wrap up the weekend, starting with a 9 a.m. (MST) tilt against NE-10 foe No. 21 Bentley.
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 Soccer Alumni Day (Oct. 17)
- 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.
