LLCC defeats Rend Lake 25-14, 25-18, 25-15

LLCC defeats Spoon River 25-6, 25-17, 25-16

GAME ONE:
LLCC swept Rend Lake in the first of two on Sunday at Cass Gym.  In the first set, LLCC struck early, fresh off Saturday's ending momentum, building a lead behind an ace by freshman Kennedy Bauer and a kill from soph Ashley Melton.  The lead expanded to 14-7 behind three consecutive kills from middle Sami Eaker and to ten after a Melton-Madison LaBranche block.  An ace by Molly Ashbaugh made it 23-9 and a final kill from Melton ended it at 25-14.  In the second set, LLCC started with a streak of errors before Taylor Thomas rattled off seven straight tough serves to give the Loggers a 11-10 lead.  LaBranche picked up a kill and shared a block with Eaker to start a run that built to the eventual 25-18 win on a Eaker-Kate Volk block.  The third set was back and forth to 8-8 when consecutive Rend Lake errors opened it to a 14-11 margin.  Two blocks by Ashley Webb widened it and after consecutive kills by Bauer and LaBranche, Maggie Plush finished the match with a kill at 25-15.

GAME ONE STATS:
vs. RLC
Digs: Bates 14, Bauer 8
Aces: Ashbaugh 2, 4 tied w/1
Blocks: Eaker 4, Melton 3
Assists: Volk 33, Pealer 7
Kills: Bauer 11, Eaker 7

**

GAME TWO:

LLCC played Spoon River Comm. College for the first time ever in the Snappers' inaugural season.  The Loggers spoiled the party straight from the gate, opening a 10-1 run on kills by Annika Black and Kennedy Bauer and aggressive serving by Sami Eaker.  The Loggers increased it with a kill by Ashley Melton and tough serving from Taylor Thomas, finishing off the set with a kill by Sami Eaker and a hitting error by the Snappers.  In the second set, LLCC started slowly with a different lineup and didn't open a two point lead until 9-7 after two Spoon River errors, a lead that increased quickly behind an ace from sophomore Jakya Pealer and one by Eaker.  The Loggers won 25-17, scoring the final kill with an Ashley Webb swing.  The final set saw Lincoln Land start from behind with two runs of errors, finally catching up at 11 with the two sides exchanging points until 16-16 when the Loggers went on a nine point run to win 25-16, finishing with three aces by libero Natalie Bates.

"I was happy we picked up two region wins this evening," Coach Dietz said after the Spoon River match.  "We finally played a consistent set from start to finish in the first one against Spoon.  That sort of hustle and focus would beat anyone in the country…it's what we need night in, night out."

GAME TWO STATS:
Vs. Spoon River
Digs: Hill 15, Bates 11
Aces: Bates 4, Eaker 2
Blocks: Bauer 1, Hill 1
Assists: Volk 26
Kills: Hill 6, Melton 6

Record: 19-10