CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – The Gustavus Adolphus College volleyball team closed their second consecutive weekend of competition in Iowa with a pair of matches at the Mable Lee Invite, taking on the St. Norbert College Green Knights and the Lakeland University Muskies. The Gusties defeated the Green Knights 3-1 to open the day and then fell 3-1 to the Muskies in the fourth and final game of the weekend as Gustavus moved to 7-4 overall on the season.
Match One vs. St. Norbert
In the opening match of the day, Gustavus held a narrow 12-11 lead in the opening set until St. Norbert went on a 5-0 run to take a 16-12 lead. The Gusties responded with a four-point run to tie the set up at 16 all, and the two teams battled to reach 21 all. The Green Knights won the next two points to go up 23-21, but the Gusties took the next to pull back to within one, down 23-22. SNC then took the next two points to take the opening set 25-22 and go up 1-0 in the match.
St. Norbert won the opening three points of the second set, but Gustavus responded with a 9-2 run to take the lead up 9-5. The Gusties led by three points up 15-12 midway through the set and then went on an 8-3 run to take a commanding 23-15 lead. The Green Knights kept up the fight, but Gustavus closed out the set 25-19 to tie the match up 1-1.
As the match went on, the Gusties played better and better. Leading 14-11 in the second set, Gustavus went on a seven-point run to go up 21-11. SNC won the next three points, but then the Gusties rattled off four in a row to take the set 25-14 and take a 2-1 lead in the match.
The fourth set was tied 3-3 early and then Gustavus took control. The Gusties went on an 8-2 run to go up 11-5. The Green Knights battled back to get within five points down 14-8, but then a 10-2 run for Gustavus brought the Gusties to match point up 24-10. SNC got one more kill, but
Kyra Johnson clinched the match for Gustavus with a kill to take the set 25-11 and the match 3-1.
Logan Brent led the Gusties' attack with 17 kills on .433 hitting.
Sophia Deyak hit .667 with eight kills and five total blocks.
Sahara Morken and
Brooklyn Sigler shared setting duties for Gustavus, recording 26 and 17 assists respectively.
Ella Olson led the Gusties defense with 10 digs.
Match Two vs. Lakeland
In the fourth and final match of the weekend, the Gusties opened up the first set with a 5-0 run and worked their way to an early 10-2 lead over Lakeland. The Muskies didn't blink, and kept the fight to climb back and make it a one-point game down 15-14. Gustavus responded with a three-point run to go up 18-14, but then Lakeland went on a 7-1 run to take a 21-19 lead. The two teams traded points back and fourth through the rest of the set as the Muskies took the set 25-23 to go up 1-0.
Lakeland led 6-3 early in the second set until the Gusties put together an 11-3 run to go up 14-9. The Muskies responded with a 9-3 run to regain the lead up 18-17. Gustavus retook the lead up 21-20, but Lakeland retook the lead and reached set point up 24-23. The Gusties tied the set up at 24 all, but then the Muskies won two in a row to take the set 26-24 and take a 2-0 lead in the match.
In the third, Gustavus and Lakeland were tied at 9-9 when the Gusties won four in a row to take a 13-9 lead. The Muskies countered with an identical four-point run to tie the set again at 13 all. Gustavus worked their way to an 18-17 lead when they caught fire to win five in a row and seven of the next eight points to win the set 25-18 and cut Lakeland's lead to 2-1 in the match.
The Muskies started strong out the gate in the fourth set, taking a 17-5 lead. The Gusties kept up the fight and responded with a 9-2 run to pull within five points, down 19-14. Gustavus kept on fighting and made it a two-point set down 22-20. Lakeland reached match point up 24-21. The Gusties won two more points, but a service error resulted in the Muskies taking the set 25-23 and the match 3-1.
Gustavus had the edge in kills (55 to 49), hitting percentage (.223 to .148), and blocks (11 to four). Lakeland, however, had eight aces to just four service errors while the Gusties had five aces while committing 15 service errors.
Logan Brent led Gustavus with 23 kills on . 413 hitting with four total blocks.
Lauren Barker followed with 10 kills on .346 hitting.
Sahara Morken orchestrated the Gustie offense with 34 assists.
Ella Olson had a team-high 15 digs.
Up Next
Gustavus will return to Minnesota for their first conference match of the season on Friday, September 25 when they travel up to St. Joseph for a 7:00 p.m. battle against the College of Saint Benedict Bennies.
