The Illinois Springfield volleyball team opened the Midwest Regional Crossover with a 3-1 victory over Lake Superior State on Friday afternoon.
The first set was point-for-point nearly the entire way, with the teams tied 24-24 late. UIS took the lead after a Lakers attack error and a
Kaitlyn Taylor service ace, then finished the 27-25 set on back-to-back kills by
Madison Siefken. The Prairie Stars held a 15-12 edge in kills in the frame, with five service aces helping secure the early advantage.
Set two followed a similar pattern, with UIS pulling ahead 13-9 after a short run and holding off a late LSSU push to win 25-20. The Prairie Stars hit .233 in the set compared to the Lakers' .083, posting 18 kills while holding their opponent to just eight.
The Lakers took the third set 25-22, rallying behind aces from Valeriya Karnakova and kills from Elisa Rizzoli. UIS tied the set 21-21 with key plays from
Makenna Cox and
Erica Sledge, but LSSU closed it out with two aces and two kills in the final four points.
UIS regained control in the fourth set, jumping ahead 8-3 before the Lakers gained the lead at 12-11. The Stars responded with a strong finish, recording five kills in their final seven points to clinch the match 25-20. UIS hit .333 in the closing set to seal the win.
The Prairie Stars finished with 63 kills, 58 assists, and a .286 hitting percentage for the match.
UIS (8-9) continues play at the Midwest Regional Crossover on Saturday with matches against Tiffin at 9:00 a.m. and Kentucky Wesleyan at 2:00 p.m.
