Lewis Wins Five Set Battle to Start Conference Play

BOLIVAR, Mo. — The Lewis University women’s volleyball team started conference play on Friday (Sept. 27) with a 3-2 win against the Southwest Baptist. 

Team Records

Lewis 7-5, 1-0 GLVC | SBU 6-7, 0-1 GLVC

LEWIS Leaders Vs. SBU

Kills: Bella Ray (Plainfield, Ill./Joliet Catholic) (18)

Digs: Elena Gubera (Jamestown, Ind./Western Boone) (28)

Assists: Rachel Kaczorowski (Carpentersville, Ill./Harry D. Jacobs) (24)

Aces: Kaczorowski (3)

Blocks: Ray (5)

SET BREAKDOWN Vs. SBU

Set 1: SBU 25, Lewis 22

Lewis started out with a 3-1 lead early in the match on Friday, after Natalie Stefanski (Plainfield, Ill./Joliet West) began the scoring with a kill off of the assist from Lily King (Channahan, IL). The Flyers were unable to generate any significant runs, only scoring twice in a row several times in the first set.

On the opposite side of the floor, the Bearcats stringed together several deep runs which made it difficult for the Flyers to create momentum. 

Set 2: Lewis 25, SBU 19

For the second set in a row, Lewis got out to a 3-1 lead thanks to kills from Stefanski. The Bearcats responded with a five point run to put the Flyers back by three.

Lewis trailed a large portion of the match but kept it within striking distance. With Southern Baptist leading 14-13, Lauren Buxton (Springfield, Ill./Pleasant Plains) began a five point run with a kill to tie the set.

Two kills from Hannah Alvey (Mapleton, Ill./Illinois Central College), a service ace from Gubera and an error from the Bearcats gave Lewis the 17-14 lead. 

Lewis continued scoring in the second set, more kills by Stefanski with strong net play by Mya Bajramovic (Cary, Ill./West Virginia Wesleyan) and Ray gave Lewis the final push to win the second set. 

Set 3: Lewis 25, SBU 23

With an attack error and two kills by Alvey and Emma O’Neill (Papillion, NE/Papillion La Vista South) gave Lewis an early 3-0 lead. The Flyers led the entire third set yet the Bearcats did make the set competitive by keeping in close throughout the contest.

The Flyers’ first of two three-point runs began with a kill by Buxton, a bad set by the Bearcats and another kill by Alvey. Their second three-point run came after Southern Baptist had one of their own, two attack errors and a kill by Buxton pushed the score to 17-12.

Both teams continued to exchange points and near the end it was either team’s game. Two attacking errors ended the set and Lewis walked away leading the…