OWENSBORO, Ky. - The Lake Superior State (LSSU) volleyball team (1-5) fell to both the UIndy Greyhounds and the Thomas More Saints by respective scores of 3-1 and 3-0 on Friday.

UIndy

Both teams battled early in the opening set, but the Greyhounds were able to push ahead to a 9-3 lead before extending again to 13-5. However, the Lakers responded with a pair of 5-0 runs that featured back-to-back service aces from Maggie Morris (Schoolcraft, Mich.), and they would then use a run of 4-0 to take the lead with a pair of Morgan Deming (Boyne City, Mich.) blocks. Both teams would find themselves knotted up at 24-24, but LSSU was able to close out the first set with the next two points to take a 1-0 lead in the match. 

UIndy was once again able to pull in front in the seconds set, but the Lakers responded with an 8-2 scoring run that featured kills from Deming and Gia Waters (Minneapolis, Minn.) to tie up the score at 18-18. The Lakers would then go in front with multiple kills from Mariana Velasque (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) with a kill from Rachel Steele (Eaton Rapids, Mich.) giving her team a 24-22 advantage. However, the Greyhounds managed to rally to narrowly escape the set by a margin of 26-24, tying the match at one set each.

LSSU claimed an early 8-5 lead in the third set after a 4-0 run that featured kills from Sault Ste. Marie products Jordyn Haller and Faith White, but the Greyhounds fought back with a 6-0 run of their own. Both teams would go back and forth for the remainder of the set, but despite a pair of kills from Morris, UIndy was able to take the set by a margin of 25-20

UIndy was able to take the first four points of the fourth set, but the Lakers battled back with an ace from Velasque. LSSU was then able to pull ahead with a 6-1 run to go up 16-12. However, the Greyhounds managed to grind their way back into the set, and despite multiple kills from Waters, they were able to close out the set and the match by respective scores of 25-22 and 3-1.

Velasque led the way offensively with 15 kills while Vanessa Swerdon (Toronto, Ontario) posted a game-high 37 assists. Meanwhile on the defensive end, Ally Lasley (Birch Run, Mich.) notched a team-leading 18 digs while Waters added 12 of her own. 
 

Thomas More

Both teams battled early, but the Lakers claimed a 10-6 advantage with a pair of kills from Velasque. The Saints battled back, but LSSU was able to maintain a 14-12 lead with a kill from Swerdon. However, despite a late kill from Veleriya Varnakova (Ufa, Russia), Thomas More was able to take the opening set 25-20. 

Both teams went back and forth throughout the second set, but the Lakers were able to rattle off a 5-0 run to take a 22-18 lead behind a pair of kills from Waters. However, the Saints responded, and despite another kill from Waters tying up the score at 25-25, Thomas More claimed a 2-0 advantage in the match after taking the set 27-25.

The Saints were able to take control in the third set with multiple runs. The Lakers tried to rally with kills from Velasque and Waters, but it ultimately would not be enough as Thomas More managed to close out the set and the match by respective scores of 25-18 and 3-0.

Waters led the team in kills with 10 while Swerdon posted a game-high 31 assists. Meanwhile, Lasley led all players in digs with 11. 

The Lakers return to action on Saturday, Sept. 14 when they face Christian Brothers and West Alabama at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m., respectively, at the Kentucky Wesleyan Invitational.