Illinois Springfield fell to Lewis 3-1 on Saturday. The Prairie Stars claimed the opening set 25-22 before the Flyers responded by winning the next three, 25-18, 25-16 and 25-19.
The Prairie Stars overcame an early 5-2 deficit in the first set, getting kills from
Alyssa Gray and
Kendall Johnson around a Gray-Johnson block before Johnson's service ace put UISÂ in front 7-6. After Lewis pulled even at 13-13, the Prairie Stars scored three straight points, including a
Kendall Johnson kill from
Eva Huerta, and later reached 24-21 on
Khadijah Blue's kill. Lewis cut it to 24-22 before a service error ended the set, 25-22.
UIS put together the first push of the second set on
Makenna Cox's serve, moving from 1-1 to a 5-1 lead with Cox's ace and kills by Gray and
Kendall Johnson. Lewis responded to go in front 6-5 and later led 13-8, but the Prairie Stars cut the deficit to two points with contributions that included
Kaitlyn Taylor's block and kills by
Makenna Cox and Blue. The Prairie Stars later got within 20-18 before Lewis scored the final five points to take the set 25-18.
The Prairie Stars could not overcome an 11-point Lewis run in the third set, as a 3-2 Illinois Springfield lead became a 13-3 deficit.
Kendall Johnson stopped the stretch with a kill from
Kaitlyn Taylor, and
Makenna Cox added three kills later in the set. Lewis closed out the set 25-16.
In the fourth set, UIS cut the score to 18-17 on consecutive kills from
Makenna Cox and
Kaitlyn Taylor, but Lewis answered with three straight points. Earlier, the Prairie Stars matched the Flyers through a 10-10 score, getting kills from Blue, Cox,
Kendall Johnson and
Maddie Mendelblatt along with a Cox ace. Lewis went on to close the set 25-19.
Kendall Johnson led the Prairie Stars with 12 kills and added nine digs and two block assists.
Makenna Cox posted a team-high 15 points from 11 kills, four service aces and 13 digs.
Emma Frazier collected a team-high 15 digs and served one ace.
Madi Siefken finished with a 16 assists and five digs.
The Prairie Stars host McKendree on Friday, Sept. 25, at 6 p.m. It will be their home opener at TRAC.
