Five tough, rugged sets in Sault Ste. Marie, MI ended in defeat for Lake Superior State against Saginaw Valley State, 24-26, 19-25, 25-11, 25-19, 15-8 on Thursday night at the Bud Cooper Gymnasium.

The Lakers (1-17, 1-10 GLIAC) took the opening two sets over the Cardinals (8-15, 2-9 GLIAC) behind a ferocious attack. The Cardinals led the first set 22-21, but Morgan Deming smashed home three kills to power Lake State to the win. She finished with 14 kills and just three attacking errors on 29 swings, hitting .379, another outstanding performance from the junior middle. Her 14 kills mark the second-highest total of her Laker career, after clobbering 16 kills against Ursuline in October 2024.

Both teams dueled through the middle stages of the second set, with neither taking more than three point lead. Late in the set, the Lakers made their move, scoring five straight to earn the set victory. Deming and Elisa Rizzoli scored kills, and the Cardinals committed three straight attacking errors to close the frame, all while Rizzoli held serve. LSSU hit .382 in the set with four blocks, dominating late to take a 2-0 lead in the match.

But the Cardinals rallied, taking the third in convincing fashion. Their relentless attack with their backs to the wall kept them alive to see a fourth set. That ended up another back-and-forth set, with neither team taking control until late. Down 15-14, the Cardinals earned a pair of service aces to spark a short run, though Valeriya Varnakova clipped it with another well-timed kill. She's earned a reputation for big kills to end rallies throughout the season. But SVSU quickly went on another four-point run, then claimed the set with four of the last five points.

Avery Headworth shined in the fifth set, scoring a service ace and a kill. But SVSU took a slim lead early, which grew into the middle stages of the set. Rachel Townsend scored kills on three of the last seven rallies to put the match away.

Rizzoli led LSSU with 16 digs, a new career high. Headworth registered 23 assists, while Vanessa Swerdon tallied 17. The Lakers played well at the net, scoring three solo blocks and 14 block assists as a team to SVSU's one solo and ten assists.

First-year OPP Caitlyn Matelski scored a career-high 11 kills for LSSU, adding in five digs and three block assists.

A great crowd with excellent energy at the Bud Cooper Gymnasium watched the match, with a lot of younger fans coming in from Women's Basketball's Trunk or Treat event shortly before opening serve. On Friday, the Lakers host Purdue Northwest at 2:00 PM. LSSU wraps up its home schedule next weekend with matches with Wayne State and Grand Valley State. Buy your tickets online or at the Norris Center Box Office.