Bulldog Volleyball Caps Unbeaten Weekend With Sweep Over Lewis At Regional Crossover

HAMMOND, Ind. — Nationally 14th-ranked Ferris State University swept Lewis University 25-14, 25-20, 25-14 on Saturday (Oct. 18) in collegiate volleyball action at the Midwest Regional Crossover held at the Hammond Sportsplex in Indiana.

FSU closed the nation's largest volleyball tourney with a perfect 3-0 mark as the Bulldogs previously beat both Maryville (Mo.) and Walsh by identical 3-1 scores on Friday before sweeping the Flyers in Saturday's lone match.

The Bulldogs registered 42 kills with a .287 hitting percentage and tallied 11 total blocks in the victory. Lewis struggled offensively, recording 31 kills with a .052 hitting percentage.

Ferris State started the first set with a strong performance, quickly building a 4-0 lead, highlighted by a kill from Lyndsey Urick assisted by Hayley Wegener. Gabby Piazza and Emily May contributed with kills, extending the Bulldogs' advantage to 8-2. Despite some resistance from the Flyers, including kills from Ann-Kelly Velikov, Ferris State maintained control with key plays from Wegener and Piazza. A decisive block by Logyn Geren and Wegener pushed the score to 24-14, and Piazza sealed the set at 25-14 with a final kill.

The Bulldogs secured the second set with a 25-20 win over Lewis, extending their lead. The set began with Ferris State capitalizing on consecutive attack errors by the Flyers, quickly gaining a 2-0 advantage. Lewis responded with a service ace by Elena Gubera, leveling the score at 2-2. Emma Bleecher and May led Ferris State offensively, with May contributing multiple kills, including a critical one at 24-20. A combined block by May and Piazza on Marin Grossman's attack sealed the set for the Bulldogs.

Ferris State secured a decisive 25-14 victory in the third set against the Flyers, fueled by consistent offensive production and defensive pressure. May initiated the scoring for Ferris State with a kill from Wegener, contributing to a balanced attack. Bleecher was instrumental, recording multiple kills and capitalizing on errors from Lewis to help extend Ferris State's lead. Piazza and Geren also added crucial points, with Geren's kill bringing Ferris State to set point. The set concluded with an attack error by Lewis's Emma O'Neill, sealing the win for the visiting team.

May recorded 11 kills with no errors and a hitting percentage of .379, contributing significantly to the team's offensive efforts. Wegener provided essential support with 30 assists and added 13 digs on defense, showcasing her all-around game impact. Bleecher contributed 10 kills and one service ace, while also collecting six digs. Piazza tallied nine kills, a hitting percentage of .304, and 11 digs, rounding out a strong overall performance.

For Lewis, Gubera led the defensive effort with 18 digs, contributing significantly to the Flyers' stability in the backcourt. Lily King provided playmaking support with 13 assists, facilitating the team's offensive plays. Velikov was the top attacker for Lewis, recording 8 kills with a .217 hitting percentage and adding 3 blocks to her tally.

Ferris State improved to 16-4 overall record with the win.

The Bulldogs, who have won their last nine matches to date, will return home to host Davenport in conference action on Thursday (Oct. 23) evening starting at 6 p.m. (ET) inside Bulldog Arena.