PAINESVILLE, Ohio- The Lake Erie College volleyball team dropped a five set thriller to the Saginaw Valley State Cardinals on Saturday (Oct. 8) afternoon. The Storm fell 3-2 to the Cardinals.

Lake Erie fell to 11-7 overall and 4-4 in the GLIAC with the loss.

The Storm and the Cardinals went back and forth throughout the first set. Lake Erie forced Saginaw Valley to call a timeout as the Storm opened a 16-14 lead. After the timeout, the Storm continued the pressure with a 9-2 run to end the set with a 25-16 final score.

In the second set, the Cardinals opened a 3-1 lead before Lake Erie rallied to tie the set at nine. A 9-4 Storm run opened a five point lead. Saginaw came back with a 6-1 run, tying the score at 19 all. A 6-1 run clinched the 25-20 set win for the Cardinals.

Set three featured the teams staying close and even. Neither team led by more than a couple of points. Late in the set, Lake Erie used a 4-1 run to take a 18-16 lead that forced a SV timeout. The timeout allowed Saginaw Valley to tie the set at 20. The Storm inched away late in the set for a 25-23 win.

The Cardinals opened the fourth set with a 7-4 lead. Lake Erie took the lead at 11-10, causing a Cardinal timeout. Following the timeout, Saginaw turned the deficit into a 16-14 lead. A late run tied the game and allowed the Storm to lead 21-19 into a timeout. Saginaw Valley refused to fall as the Storm had a chance at a match point. Saginaw Valley fought and won set four 28-26.

Saginaw Valley took an early 3-1 lead over the Storm in the fifth set. They held the lead throughout the set as the Storm could not muster a final comeback as they fell 15-12 in the final set.

Bethany Fisher (Orrville, Ohio / Orrville) led the Storm with 18 kills as well as nine digs. Brooke Peiffer (Lansing, Mich. / Holt) had 17 kills and nine digs. Crystal Kedroske (Dexter, Mich. / Dexter) added ten kills and 13 digs.

On defense, the Storm got 28 digs from Morgan Briggs (Cadillac, Mich. / Cadillac) and 27 from Sidney Fletcher (Saline, Mich. / Saline). Alexis Thomas (Cincinnati, Ohio / Fairfield) added 18 digs and 50 assists for the match.

Lake Erie will conclude the five game home stand with a non-conference game against local rival Notre Dame College on Tuesday (Oct. 11). 

-LEC-