Oct. 8, 2004

Box Score

ROMEOVILLE, Ill.--The Lewis University women's volleyball team endured a five-game battle for the first time this season and came up on the losing end to SIU Edwardsville 25-30, 30-24, 30-22, 26-30, 12-15.

The Flyers (10-8, 3-5 Great Lakes Valley Conference) had one of the top teams in the league on the ropes and down two-games-to-one, but the Cougars (15-5, 6-1 GLVC) clawed their way back and found a way to pull out the five-set victory.

After a so-so start in game 1, Lewis came out blazing in game 2. The Flyers took an 11-10 lead to 15-10 on the serve of sophomore Theresa Nugent. During the run, Nugent posted an ace and Rory Harrison tallied a solo block to spur the team. The five-point lead would be enough for the Flyers as they breezed to the 30-24 win. Lewis hit .400 in the game and four players had at least three kills.

Lewis continued its hot run in game 3, blistering its way to a 13-4 lead. SIUE was able to trim the lead to three at 16-13 and 25-22, but both times Lewis delivered the momentum stopping side out.

With the score becoming tighter at 25-22, Nugent blasted kills on consecutive plays. Jenna Sayers then closed the game with back-to-back aces following a Kindra Westendorf hitting error. Lewis notched 22 digs and held SIUE to a .146 hitting percentage in game 3.

The Cougars turned the tide in game 4 by clicking on offense at a .340 clip. Westendorf had six kills and Beth DeGreef and Heather Bonde amassed five kills each in the fourth game.

In the shortened race to 15 in game 5, SIUE built a three-point lead early and padded it to four points at 10-6, but still saw it evaporate. Nugent began the streak with a kill before three straight blocks tied the match at 10-all. Rory Harrison teamed with Andrea Morrone for consecutive blocks and then Harrison added a third block with Nugent. The Flyers captured the lead on the next point after a Nugent kill, but a Sayers service error ended the run.

SIUE's Jamie Jones then registered an ace, followed by a kill and a solo block from Tina Talsma. Trailing 14-11, Lewis pounded one last kill before Talsma ended the match with her 15th kill of the night.

Nugent headed a group of four Flyers that had at least 10 kills as she recorded a team-high 18 kills. Sarah McKinney had a double-double (15 kills, 13 digs), Val Olis had 12 kills, nine digs and three blocks, and Harrison notched 10 kills and five blocks.

Westendorf paced SIUE with 23 kills, while Bonde had 19 kills. Libero Allison Buss had a match-high 26 digs.