The Ashland University volleyball team turned in a dominant defensive effort on its way to a sweep of visiting Lake Superior State, 25-16, 25-14, 25-14, on Friday (Oct. 4) night at Kates Gymnasium.
The Eagles (14-2, 6-0 GLIAC) have won nine straight matches and improved to 9-0 at home on the season.
Ashland held the Lakers (4-10, 1-5 GLIAC) to a .057 hitting percentage on the night. The latest the Eagles trailed in any set was at 4-3 in the second set.
The story of the night was the Eagles' defensive performance as they dug out or blocked 52 of the Lakers' 87 attacks. They also forced Lake Superior State into 17 hitting errors.
After hitting just .164 in the first two sets, the Eagles turned up the offense in the third, hitting their way to a .382 mark.
Redshirt-junior Lexi Lombardo led the Eagles with 10 kills (.526) against no hitting errors. She also had a team-high five blocks.
Sophomore Erin Krupar added nine kills and seven digs, five of which came in the first set. Senior Sophi Cudworth (.538) and redshirt-junior Brooke Peiffer (.111) had eight kills apiece.
Sophomore setter Zoey Peck handed out 37 assists on Ashland's 44 kills and helped the Eagles hit .234 overall. Junior libero McKinley Smith led the back row with 12 digs while sophomore Sophie Dahn added eight.
Camdyn Odykirk led the Lakers with six kills.
The Eagles will defend the Kates Gymnasium floor again on Saturday (Oct. 5) as the Eagles take on Saginaw Valley. First serve is set for 2 p.m.
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