PAINESVILLE, OHIO – Lake Erie College (2-4, 1-4 GLIAC) raced out to the first four points of the deciding fifth set and never looked back defeating Michigan Tech University (2-7, 0-4 GLIAC) for its first GLIAC victory of the season at the Jerome T. Osborne Family Athletic & Wellness Center. 

Lake Erie won the match by a count of 21-25, 25-19, 28-26, 17-25, 15-11. 

Sophomore Molly Richardson (Fort Wayne, Ind./Bishop Dwenger) dominated the fifth set with three kills, including the game-winner, and a pair of early aces.

Richardson led a balanced Storm hitting attack with 16 kills.  Sophomore Jamie Hoppe (Green Springs, Ohio/Clyde) added 11 kills and junior Mary Walter (Solon, Ohio/Notre Dame Cathedral Latin) had 10 to go along with six service aces. 

Starting her first match of the season, junior setter Stephanie Minotas (Cleveland, Ohio/Trinity) directed the Lake Erie attack with 24 assists. 

A big advantage for the Storm came in the service department with 17 aces compared to just eight for the Huskies. 

With the scored tied at 13-13 in set one, Michigan Tech ran off five out of six points for an 18-14 advantage.  Guided by the serve of Walter, Lake Erie tied the set at 18-18 but couldn't pull ahead, falling 25-21.

Unfazed, Lake Erie rebounded in the second set, leading much of the way.  A Hoppe kill put the Storm ahead 23-17 late in the set and Walter finished it off with a service ace.

Set three was a close affair throughout.  Lake Erie gained its first substantial advantage with five straight points to go ahead 13-10, with Minotas doing the serving.  A Hoppe kill extended that lead to 18-13, but it quickly evaporated with the Huskies jumping ahead 22-20.  The Storm fought back to 24-24 and the game stretched on to 25-25 and 26-26.  On its third set point, Lake Erie forced a MTU error for the 28-26 win.

Lake Erie was unable to capture the momentum to start the fourth set, falling behind 10-4.  The Storm fought their way back into the set, tying the score at 14-14, but couldn't pull ahead, dropping the set 25-17. 

The Storm never trailed in the fifth set as Lake Erie had ten kills and just a single error in the final frame for a .421 hitting percentage. 

It's a quick turnaround for the Storm as they get back in action tomorrow as they host Northern Michigan University at 2:00 p.m.

-LEC-