GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Blue Raider volleyball team swept Trinity Christian (Ill.) but met the same fate to homestanding Cornerstone (Mich.) during day one of the Aquinas/Cornerstone Invitational on Friday.

Lindsey Wilson's offense received big contributions from Ola Wyrzykowska's team-leading 23 kills, as well as 13 from Petra Fernandez Garcia.

Ana Clara Beltran Sacca averaged 1.33 blocks per set, and Momo Hampton ended the afternoon with 26 digs to pace the defense.

 
Match One: (RV) Lindsey Wilson 3, Trinity Christian (Ill.) 0

The Blue Raiders pummeled the Trolls hitting 0.322 with 42 kills and 14 service aces.

Fernandez Garcia turned in a balanced stat sheet starting with nine kills and adding seven digs, three aces, and one block. Hannah Garcia served a season-high five aces, and Wyrzykowska struck for 13 kills.

A stifling 0.429 hitting percentage across the first set for Lindsey Wilson led to a convincing one-set lead. Two kills by Wyrzykowska sandwiching a combo block with Sacca opened an 8-3 run to give the Blue Raiders a 14-8 advantage. The Trolls pushed back to cut the deficit to 15-11 but managed only three points the rest of the way as Lindsey Wilson attacked the Trinity Christian back line.

Both sides exchanged small stretches to begin the middle frame. Trailing 12-11, Luiza Gonçalves dumped over a kill to ignite an 11-2 rally that propelled Lindsey Wilson to a 25-19 set win.

A pair of kills by Duda Becho helped make up a 5-0 run for the Blue Raiders in the early going on the third set. The Trolls did everything they could to stay in striking distance and pulled to within one point of Lindsey Wilson late, 19-18. Costly errors by Trinity Christian's offense, however, changed course back in the Blue Raiders' favor and the designated home team went on to tally six of the last seven points of the set to clinch the match.

 
Match Two: (RV) Lindsey Wilson 0, (RV) Cornerstone (Mich.) 3

The hosts utilized a precise attack and outhit the Blue Raiders 0.301 to 0.138 to pull away with a three-set decision.

Wyrzykowska, for the sixth consecutive match, recorded double-digit kills with 10 and came up one dig shy of a double-double. Gonçalves passed out 23 assists to go along with six digs, three kills, and three aces, while Hampton notched 11 digs for her third straight outing of at least 10.

The Golden Eagles never surrendered the lead in the first set, despite several tie scores early. Knotted at 10-10, Cornerstone strung together five consecutive points and kept Lindsey Wilson in check to take the opening set 25-18.

Back-to-back kills from Gonçalves and Natalie Wandrie gave the Blue Raiders an early edge, but the frame quickly turned into a seesaw of momentum that eventually tilted in Cornerstone's favor for good with a 7-0 run.

The home side did not wait long in the third to create separation, soaring ahead 5-2. Lindsey Wilson, unfortunately, never fully recovered, even getting five kills from Wyrzykowska throughout the set.

 
The Blue Raiders face a quick turnaround when they face Olivet Nazarene at 10 a.m. CT on Saturday, September 6 in Grand Rapids.