RIO GRANDE, Ohio – The Lindsey Wilson volleyball team extended it's season-long winning streak to four matches but settled for a two-match split on the final day of the Emileigh Jo Cooper Memorial Classic.
Ola Wyrzykowska produced a team-high 23 kills, as well as seven service aces and 23 digs.
Elisa Burzio and
Elizabeth Moore also finished at least 20 kills with 21 and 20, respectively.
Autumn McCutchen paced the Blue Raider defense with 28 digs, while Burzio added 27.
Match One: Lindsey Wilson 3, Kentucky Christian 0
The Blue Raiders brushed off an unsteady first set to dominate sets two and three and complete the sweep in their opening match of the day.
Despite a strong 8-3 start with a pair of service aces by
Haleigh Wood to get Lindsey Wilson rolling, Kentucky Christian stuck around to crawl back into contention. The Knights found their offense to go ahead 16-13 and force a Blue Raider timeout. Out of the break, however, it was all Lindsey Wilson as a 12-4 rally made up of three kills from Pippin clinched the first set 25-20.
Kentucky Christian stayed with Lindsey Wilson early on in the second frame, even grabbing an 8-7 lead. The Blue Raiders never trailed again after that moment. The combination of three kills by Burzio and three aces from Wyrzykowska helped ignite an 8-0 run for Lindsey Wilson, sending the Blue Raiders all the way to a 25-11 set win.
Both sides swapped points to begin the third, leading to a 5-5 tie. Successful consecutive attacks by
Luiza Goncalves, Burzio, and Moore put Lindsey Wilson in the driver's seat as the Blue Raiders posted two separate 6-0 runs and a 5-1 stretch to put the match away.
Pippin closed with 10 kills and zero attack errors, while Burzio and McCutchen each contributed 13 digs.
Match Two: Lindsey Wilson 2, Shawnee State (Ohio) 3
Multiple Blue Raiders set new personal bests in Saturday's second match, but it was not enough for Lindsey Wilson to fight off a furious five-set rally by the Bears.
Lindsey Wilson led through the first set before a five-point run by Shawnee State gave the Bears a 21-20 edge. After a Blue Raider timeout, the momentum returned with another five-point swing. This time in Lindsey Wilson's favor to take the first set 25-21.
The Blue Raiders hit .448 in the second frame with 16 kills and four service aces, helping them to the lead early. The Bears' efforts to close in on Lindsey Wilson never got within two points down the stretch as the Blue Raiders scored four of the last five points to seal the second set 25-19.
Kills from Moore, Wyrzykowska, and
Bella Christofaro pushed Lindsey Wilson out to a 7-2 advantage to start the third, but Shawnee State stormed back to get within striking distance. An 8-1 run by the Bears proved the difference to force a fourth set.
Short spurts by Shawnee State over the final two sets created separation and the Blue Raiders were short to overcome any deficits.
Wyrzykowska ended with her seventh career double-double and a personal-best 18 kills. Burzio matched her all-time bests for a 14-kill, 14-dig double-double, the first of her career.
Goncalves dished out 56 assists and McCutchen tallied 15 digs, both career-highs.
Lindsey Wilson returns to action at 6 p.m. CST on Thursday, September 5 when the Blue Raiders travel to Louisville to take on Boyce.
