Cruises past Eastern New Mexico; falls to Cal State East Bay
PUEBLO, Colo. – The Lake Superior State (LSSU) volleyball team (1-2) split a pair of matches on the second day of the Steel City Showcase after besting Eastern New Mexico (ENM) by a score of 3-0 before falling by the same margin against Cal State East Bay (CSEB) on Friday.
Eastern New Mexico
The Eastern New Mexico Greyhounds jumped out to the early lead in the match, quickly taking a 6-1 advantage, but the Lakers settled in, rattling off three straight points with a kill from Gia Waters (Minneapolis, Minn.) and an Ally Lasley (Birch Run, Mich.) service ace. LSSU would then press ahead with a 6-0 scoring run that featured an ace from Shea Berisoff (Kelowna, B.C.) and a sneaky kill from setter and fellow Vanessa Swerdon (Toronto, Ont.). The Lakers followed that up with yet another 6-0 run, extending their lead to 17-10. Both teams would trade points for the remainder of the set, but Maggie Morris (Schoolcraft, Mich.) was able to put the set away with the final blow, giving her team the early set advantage with a score of 25-17.
The Lakers got off to a hot start in the second set, racing to a 5-1 lead after Swerdon opened the set with a service ace. The Lakers would then press ahead with multiple kills from Mariana Velasque (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) before a kill from Morgan Deming (Boyne City, Mich.) put LSSU ahead 24-15. The Greyhounds tried to rally back with a 4-0 scoring run, but it would not be enough as the Lakers claimed the set by a margin of 25-19
Velasque opened the third set with two straight points on a kill and an ace, and Waters would tack on a kill and an ace of her own as the Lakers quickly found themselves leading 7-3. ENM was able to knot up the score at 7-7, but another kill from Velasque and a solo block from Deming helped keep the Greyhounds at bay. Both teams would then go back and forth, but LSSU was able to settle in at the end, finishing the match with a 4-0 run as Berisoff fired off the game-winning ace to close out the set 25-20 and the match 3-0.
Velasque led the way offensively, leading all players with a game-high 10 kills. Meanwhile, Swerdon finished the match with a game-high 29 assists, and Waters posted a game-high 8 digs on the defensive end.
Cal State East Bay
Deming opened up the match with a kill, but the CSEB Pioneers managed to press ahead to an 8-2 lead. LSSU fought back with a 5-0 run of their own to get back within one. However, the Pioneers were able to pull away, and despite multiple kills from Waters, CSEB claimed the opening set by a score of 25-15.
Both teams traded points to open the second set, going back and forth with the Pioneers leading 9-7. The Lakers fought back with a 4-1 scoring spurt to take the lead with kills from Waters and Jordyn Haller (Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.) followed by a 5-1 run to go up 16-13. Both teams continued to battle with LSSU nursing a slim lead. However, the Pioneers fought back, and despite a kill from Morris that tied up the set at 24-24, CSEB was able to escape with a 2-0 lead in the match.
The Lakers took an early lead in the third set with a pair of kills from Waters. The Pioneers managed to go back in front, but a 4-0 Laker run that featured back-to-back kills from Velasque reclaimed the lead. However, the Pioneers were able to settle in and take control of the set, and despite kills from Deming and Velasque, CSEB claimed the set and the match by respective scores of 25-13 and 3-0.
Waters led her team in kills with 10, and Swerdon posted a 25-assist, 14-dig double-double to lead all players in both categories.
The Lakers return to action on Saturday, Sept. 7 when they face the Lubbock Christian Lady Chaps with the first serve scheduled for 10:30 a.m.
