A slow start in the opening set put Minnesota Crookston behind early. A pair of errors by the Golden Eagles spotted the Lakers a 3-0 lead. However consecutive attacking error by LSSU gained UMC its first two points to pull with 3-2. The two sides went back and forth tying the opening frame at 7-7 before four straight Golden Eagles’ attacking errors gave Lake Superior State an 11-7 lead. Deaira Gresham (Soph., Maplewood) spiked a kill to stop the run for UMC pulling Minnesota Crookston within 11-8 of the Lakers. Lake Superior State responded by taking eight of the next nine points in route to a commanding 19-9 first set advantage. The set dictated by extended scoring runs continued, this time favoring the Golden Eagles. A Deaira Gresham kill followed by an ace from Lauren Ulibarri (Jr., Flagstaff, AZ) sparked a seven-point Minnesota Crookston run to pull the Golden Eagles within 19-16. Lake Superior bounced back and prevented Minnesota Crookston from pulling within two points until 24-22 but Lake Superior State hung on taking set one 25-22 with a kill by Amanda Reid to secure the opening frame.
UMC acclimated much better in set two jumping out to a 3-0 lead over their own with three straight kills from Lauren Wallace, Callie Schapekahm (Sr., Eagan), and Deaira Gresham. Lake Superior State tied the set at 4-4 before UMC pulled ahead 10-6 with a kill by Sabrina Leuer (R-Jr., Hamel) followed by a kill from Gresham giving the Golden Eagles an 11-6 second set lead. The lead grew to 14-7 after a pair of attacking errors by the Lakers. UMC cruised the rest of the set evening the match with three-straight kills to close out the frame 25-17.
The third set went back and forth before Minnesota Crookston created some separation midway through the set. With UMC leading 12-10, the Golden Eagles rattled off six of the next seven points to take an 18-11 lead with a kill from Kaitlin Sikkink (Jr., St. Charles) closing out the run. Lake Superior State fought back to within 23-22. Minnesota Crookston’s Lauren Wallace picked up a kill pushing UMC to set point before Callie Schapekahm earned the Golden Eagles a two-sets-to-one lead with a 25-23 third set victory.
The Lakes responded in convincing fashion to force a fifth set. Lake Superior State sprinted out to a 10-5 lead and never looked back. Crookston pulled to within 17-15 after a Callie Schapekahm kill, but the Lakers once again separated before closing the fourth set 25-18.
In the tiebreaker set, Lake Superior State took the first point off a UMC service error. The Golden Eagles and Lakers traded points before LSSU took three straight points with back-to-back kills giving the Lakers a 6-3 lead. UMC responded by taking the next six points off of a kill from Lauren Wallace (R-Fr., Bloomington) followed by five-straight Lake Superior State attacking errors giving the Golden Eagles a 9-6 lead. A service error with UMC leading 11-9 brought the Lakers within one point before Kaitlin Sikkink tallied a much-needed kill for the Golden Eagles to push the lead to 12-10. Lake Superior State tied the tie-breaking set at 13-13 following a Minnesota Crookston attacking error, but the Golden Eagles responded with kills from Callie Schapekahm and Deaira Gresham securing a 15-13 fifth-set win and earning a Minnesota Crookston match win 3-2.
The win improved UMC’s record to 2-3 overall prior to their meeting with tournament host Northern Michigan in the afternoon, while Lake Superior State falls to 0-5.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| Lake Superior State | 25 | 17 | 23 | 25 | 13 |
| UMC | 22 | 25 | 25 | 18 | 15 |
For UMC
Kills – Deaira Gresham – 15, Callie Schapekahm – 10, Kaitlin Sikkink – 9
Blocks – Callie Schapekahm – 2, Lauren Wallace – 2, Kaitlin Sikkink – 2
Assists – Sydney Kruisselbrink – 42, Deaira Gresham – 3
Digs – Lauren Ulibarri – 22, Katie Lienemann – 18, Deaira Gresham – 15
Aces – Katie Lienemann – 1, Ali Schueler – 1, Lauren Ulibarri – 1
UMC vs NORTHERN MICHIGAN
Minnesota Crookston started the game well, with a kill from Deaira Gresham (Soph., Maplewood) followed by a pair of bad sets by the Wildcats giving the Golden Eagles an early 3-1 lead. UMC jumped out to a 5-2 lead after a Katie Lienemann (Soph., Rosemount) ace. Trailing 6-3, Northern Michigan utilized a four-point run to take a 7-6 lead before Gresham picked up a kill leveling the opening set at 7-7. The Wildcats responded by taking the next nine points and a commanding 16-7 lead in route to a 25-16 set one win.
The second set didn’t prove much better as Northern Michigan took a 9-4 lead early in the frame. A Deaira Gresham kill stopped the run for one point, but the Golden Eagles failed to pull within five points of their undefeated opposition the rest of the set falling 25-15.
The Third set proved even more challenging for Minnesota Crookston. With the set tied at 4-4, the Wildcats utilized a five-point run to take an 8-4 lead. An eight-point run later in the set pushed the Northern Michigan lead to 20-7. The Golden Eagles picked up two straight kills from Callie Schapekahm (Sr., Eagan) and Deaira Gresham to pull within 23-11 before the Wildcats closed out the sweep taking the third set 25-13.
Minnesota Crookston falls to 2-4 and will return to the court tomorrow morning at 8 A.M. to take on Northwood University (MI) at 8 a.m. before facing Michigan Tech at 2 p.m. in Marquette, MI.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| UMC | 16 | 15 | 13 |
| Northern Michigan | 25 | 25 | 25 |
For UMC
Kills – Deaira Gresham – 12, Callie Schapekahm – 12, Kaitlin Sikkink – 2
Blocks – Callie Schapekahm – 2, Kaitlin Sikkink – 1, Lauren Wallace – 1
Assists – Sydney Kruisselbrink – 15, Lauren Ulibarri – 3
Digs – Ali Schueler – 6, Lauren Ulibarri – 5, Deaira Gresham – 5
Aces – Katie Lienemann – 1
