SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. – The Purdue University Northwest volleyball team dropped a 5-set contest to Lake Superior State Friday evening in a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference battle in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.

Jenna Pasko (Lansing, Ill./T.F. South) led the way for the Pride with 13 kills while Carissa Jones (Whiting, Ind./Bishop Noll) recorded 12 kills and a .357 attack percentage. Eudora Negri (Munster, Ind./Munster) tallied 40 assists to lead the Black and Gold and Christina Dal Santo (St. John, Ind./Andrean) notched a team-high 24 digs.

PNW started the match off with a service ace by Eudora Negri who later recorded a kill to put the Pride ahead 9-5.

Lake Superior State would cut their deficit to one, 11-10, but the Pride went on a 5-0 run led by a pair of kills from Brooke Carter (Chicago, Ill./King College Prep) to increase their lead to 16-10.

PNW would finish the set strong to jump out to a 1-0 advantage after winning Set 1 25-18.

The Lakers would even the match at 1-1 after winning the second set, 25-17, but the Pride would bounce back with a come from behind win in the third set.

The Pride trailed 18-12 midway through Set 3, but continued to battle back to get within one, 22-21, on a kill from Carissa Jones. 

PNW would even the score at 23-23, but the Lakers would trade points with the Pride to even the set at 25 points apiece.

Freshmen Annie Pulizos (Greendale, Wis./Greendale) and Jenna Dal Santo (St. John, Ind./Andrean) would rattle off back-to-back points to give PNW the 27-25 Set 3 win and put them ahead 2-1.

The Lakers would come away with the 25-15 Set 4 win, sending the match to the deciding fifth set. 

PNW was even with the Lakers, 5-5 midway through the final set, but Lake State would rally toward the end to win 15-9 and with the match, 3-2. 

PNW returns to action Saturday, Sep. 29, when they travel to University Center, Mich. for a GLIAC contest with Saginaw Valley State at 1 pm (CST).