KENOSHA, Wis. – The Parkside volleyball team battled through five sets against Northern Michigan on Friday night at De Simone Arena, ultimately falling 3-2 (25-20, 18-25, 25-23, 22-25, 15-17). The Rangers claimed the first and third sets but were unable to close out the match in the fifth.
Avary Polavin led Parkside offensively with 16 kills, while
Sam Fisch reached the 1,000-career-kill milestone and Polavin recorded her 500th career kill.
The Rangers worked ahead 8-5 in the opening set behind kills from
Maia Olson,
Sierra Kilbourn,
Avary Polavin and
Sam Fisch, along with a
Samantha Molenhouse service ace. Northern Mich. later turned a 14-11 deficit into a 15-14 lead with four straight points, and the teams continued trading points until Northern Mich. held a 19-17 edge. After a Northern Mich. service error made it 19-18,
Monica Lukasiewicz served six straight Rangers points, with Polavin supplying three kills and Olson adding a block during the run to 24-19. Northern Mich. got one point back, but Kilbourn closed the set with a kill from
Lucy Russ for a 25-20 Rangers win.
The second set stayed even early, with Lukasiewicz and Polavin contributing kills before a Fisch kill and an ace by Russ gave the Rangers a 9-7 lead. Northern Mich. scored the next five points to move in front 12-9, using two blocks involving Larsen Bonnstetter and an Olivia Ziemer ace during the stretch. The Rangers got kills from Lukasiewicz, Kilbourn, Polavin and Fisch while trying to close the gap, but Northern Mich. pushed the score to 22-15 on a KC Fortune kill and another Ziemer ace.
Emily Zaper's kill and a Northern Mich. bad set brought the Rangers within 22-17, but Fortune added consecutive kills to reach 24-17, and Northern Mich. finished the set 25-18 on a block by Allie Barlow and Bonnstetter.
After Northern Mich. moved in front 6-5, the Rangers answered with block points involving
Emily Zaper, Lukasiewicz, Polavin, Olson and Kilbourn to move ahead 10-7, and Lukasiewicz added an ace for an 11-7 lead. The Rangers stretched the set to 15-8 behind kills from Kilbourn and Polavin, a Russ ace and a block by Olson and Polavin before Northern Mich. cut the margin to 17-15. The Rangers stayed in front with kills from Kilbourn, Polavin, Olson and Fisch, reaching set point at 24-21. Northern Mich. pulled within 24-23, but Zaper finished the set with a kill from Russ for a 25-23 Rangers win.
The fourth set moved through a tight opening stretch, with the Rangers getting kills from Fisch, Zaper, Kilbourn and Polavin before Lukasiewicz put the Rangers ahead 13-12. Northern Mich. answered with three straight points to take a 15-13 lead, and after the Rangers stayed within one on a
Dani Kopacz kill and a block by Kilbourn and Lukasiewicz, Northern Mich. scored four straight behind a Kaylie McIntosh kill, consecutive Sydney Bartels aces and a Laynie Russell kill for a 20-15 advantage. The Rangers pushed back from there, getting a kill from Kilbourn, a Fisch-Olson block, a Fisch kill and two Lukasiewicz kills as they cut the deficit to 23-21. After a Rangers service error gave Northern Mich. a 24-21 lead, Zaper answered with a kill before McIntosh closed the set for Northern Mich. at 25-22.
After trailing 4-3 in the fifth set, the Rangers moved in front on a Northern Mich. attack error and a Zaper kill from Russ, then used kills by Zaper, Kilbourn and Zaper again to build an 8-5 lead after Northern Mich. had tied it at 5-5. Errors on both sides kept the margin narrow, with a Kilbourn and Lukasiewicz block giving the Rangers a 9-6 lead before Northern Mich. pulled within 9-8 and later tied the set at 10-10. Polavin answered with a kill, a Northern Mich. attack error put the Rangers ahead 12-10, and kills by Polavin and Zaper pushed it to 14-11. Northern Mich. scored the next three points to tie the set at 14-14, and after a Kaylie McIntosh attack error gave the Rangers a 15-14 edge, the visitors closed with three straight points for a 17-15 set win.
Avary Polavin led the Rangers with 16 kills on .308 hitting, totaling 17.5 points and three block assists. Polavin also reached the 500-career-kill milestone.
Lucy Russ recorded 34 assists, three service aces and seven digs.
Lauren Peters led the defensive effort with a season-high 20 digs, adding five assists and one service ace.
Monica Lukasiewicz tallied a season-high seven total blocks, including one solo block, while adding seven kills and 12 points.
Sam Fisch recorded 12 kills, matching her season high, and a season-high 13.5 points. She also added three total blocks and two digs, marking the first time this season she has recorded each statistic. Fisch also reached the 1,000-career-kill milestone.
Emily Zaper rounded out the Rangers' top performers with 10 kills and 14 digs.
Up Next
The Rangers will return to action tomorrow, November 7, as they take on Wayne State at 3 p.m. in De Simone Arena while celebrating Senior Night.
For all things Parkside Volleyball, including links to live coverage, visit ParksideRangers.com/coverage.
