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HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - Just when it appeared as if Northern Kentucky University was about to finish off Lewis in the fifth game Saturday afternoon, the defending Great Lakes Valley Conference champion Flyers responded in big-time fashion. Some good fortune - in this case, an overturned call on an apparent service ace with the deciding game tied at 14-all - also contributed as Lewis rallied and defeated No. 19 NKU in five exhausting games, 30-27, 18-30, 30-21, 21-30, 16-14, in Regents Hall. The Lewis combination of outside hitter Stephanie Sagat (24 kills, .396 hitting percentage) and middle hitter Kim Richards (18 kills, .333) offset the Norse 1-2 offensive punch of Liz Holmes (19 kills, .516 hitting percentage) and Kristina Eisenmenger (18 kills, .295 hitting percentage). The Flyers also refused to fold in the final game after NKU built a 9-6 lead and owned all the momentum. Lewis scored three straight points to tie the set at 9-all, but NKU countered by scoring four of the next seven points to take a 13-12 advantage. Sagat, however, converted two straight attacks for kills to give Lewis a 14-13 lead and match point. NKU tied the game at 14-all when Holmes sent a vicious attack off an assist from Natalie Forbes into the Lewis court. Katie Latenser then served up what appeared to be an ace - a ball that landed near the back line - to give NKU a 15-14 lead, but, after conferring with down official Art Faura and line judge Matt Winterhalter, the ace was overturned by referee Bill Zehler and a replay was ordered. Sagat took advantage and gave Lewis a 15-14 lead with a kill. Moments later, setter Andrea Morrone placed an attack perfectly for the winning point as the Flyers improved to 12-2 overall, 4-1 in the GLVC. Eisenmenger, a junior right-side hitter, joined NKU's 1,000-kills club by smashing an attack off Sagat in the second game. The Notre Dame Academy graduate now has 1,010 career kills with the Norse. She joined Holmes and Tristen Dye as current NKU players to have reached that milestone. Holmes collected a match-leading 24 digs, while Dye recorded a double-double with 17 kills and 18 digs. NKU held an 83-67 advantage in digs, and the Norse finished with a 13-3 edge in service aces. Dye and Brittany Dixon each served up three aces for NKU, while Eisenmenger and Morgan Elyea both finished with five blocks. Forbes dished out 54 assists and added eight digs for NKU, which dropped to 14-3 overall, 3-1 in the GLVC. Two of the Norse's three losses this season have been in five games. NKU will hit the road next week for GLVC matches at Saint Joseph's (Friday at 8 p.m.) and Indianapolis (Saturday at 3 p.m.). |
