SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. - The Lake Superior State (LSSU) volleyball program (7-14, 2-8 GLIAC) fell to the Purdue Northwest Pride (8-12, 4-6 GLIAC) by a final score of 3-0 on Saturday.

Kills from Rachel Steele (Eaton Rapids, Mich.) and Morgan Deming (Boyne City, Mich.) had the score tied up at 2-2, but the Pride were able to pull ahead with a 7-0 run. The Lakers kept fighting with multiple kills from Valeriya Varnakova (Ufa, Russia) and Shea Berisoff (Kelowna, B.C.), but the Pride managed to hold on to claim the opening set 25-18.

Both teams battled early in the second set with LSSU holding within one after a block from Berisoff. The Pride were able to push slightly ahead, but the Lakers responded with a 4-0 run with a pair of kills from Deming to cut it back to 10-11. However, Purdue Northwest managed to pull back in front to take the second set 25-14.

The Pride claimed an early 7-3 lead in the third set, but the Lakers answered, tying up the score with a 4-0 run behind a pair of kills from Mariana Velasque (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil). Both teams would then trade runs as the Pride took a three-point lead and the Lakers fought back with a 5-1 run of their own to lead 15-14. Purdue Northwest was able to go back up by four, but the Lakers rallied, getting back to within 20-22 after a Vanessa Swerdon (Toronto, Ont.) service ace. However, the Pride managed to find the three points that they needed to stave off the Laker attack and close out the set and the match by respective scores of 25-20 and 3-0.

The Lakers will now turn their attention to a Halloween matchup at Saginaw Valley State on Thursday, Oct. 31 with the first serve scheduled for 7 p.m.