PAINESVILLE, OHIO –  The Lake Erie College volleyball team knocked off Lake Superior State University in a back-and-forth affair to pick up its historic first Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) victory with a 3-2 win Friday night (Oct. 22) at the Jerome T. Osborne Athletic & Wellness Center.

Freshman Molly Richardson (Ft. Wayne, Ind./Bishop Dwenger) had 15 kills and junior Michelle Naab (North Royalton, Ohio/North Royalton) 13, both career highs for the Storm (4-19, 1-11 GLIAC), which snapped a 17-match losing streak. Lake Erie recorded a season-high 52 kills in picking up its first win since Sept. 7 (3-2 over Notre Dame College).

The Storm jumped out to a 6-1 and then a 14-6 lead in the first set. After the Lakers closed within 14-10, Lake Erie closed the frame with an 11-4 spurt to take the set 25-14.  Richardson had four kills and three digs to lead the attack.

Behind Emily Snyder, who had six of her match-high 17 kills in the second, Lake Superior State answered back, racing out to a 7-2 lead.  The Storm got within two at 9-7 and 13-11, but the Lakers scored 12 of the final 13 points to win set two 25-14.

Sophomore Mary Walter (Solon, Ohio/Notre Dame Cathedral Latin) fueled a 9-0 run midway through the third set – picking up three aces, two kills and an assist during the run - that  propelled Lake Erie to a 25-21 win.

Lake Superior State came back in the fourth, outscoring the Storm 10-2 down the stretch for a 25-16 win to even the match.  But as was the theme for the night, the fifth set went to Lake Erie, 15-10, with Richardson finishing it off with spike for the winning point.

In addition to Snyder, Abby Shereda had 10 kills and Brittany Newberry had 30 digs. Junior Lauren Bogatay (Mentor, Ohio/Mentor) had 28 assists to lead the Storm while classmate Krista O'Connor (North Royalton, Ohio/North Royalton) had 16 of the team's 55 digs.

Tonight's match was part of the GLIAC Pink Wave and American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Dig Pink efforts towards breast cancer awareness.  The initiative continues on Saturday, Oct. 23, when the Storm hosts Northwood University in a GLIAC contest at 2 p.m. at the Osborne Center.

-LEC-