INDIANAPOLIS - The Davenport University women's volleyball team churned out its most efficient offensive performance of the young season on Friday and it came in the day's first match. The Panthers swept GLIAC foe, Northern Michigan, and did it by hitting a red-hot .326, their best mark of 2019 by over 10 percent. However, DU faltered in the nightcap and fell to Saint Leo in straight sets.

Davenport 3, Northern Michigan
(25-21, 26-24, 25-19)

- As mentioned above, the Panthers hit a blistering .326 with 43 kills and only 12 errors on 95 total attacks.

- Davenport's offensive onslaught got better as the match progressed with a hitting percentage that went from .256 to .344 to .417

- Hayley Kreiger stuffed the stat sheet with a team-leading nine kills (.286 hitting percentage), three service aces, three total blocks, three digs, and an assist.

- Behind the sophomore slugger, junior transfer, Kendra DeJonge (team-high four aces), and Emmy Webb each racked up eight kills and the rookie, Webb, did it while hitting a cool .571.

- Senior, Sami White, and freshman, Grace Hayes, setup the attack with 18 assists and 14 assists, respectively.

- Defensively, aside from Kreiger's three total blocks, sophomore, Nina Rudnitsky, paced the Panthers in digs with 11.

Saint Leo 3, Davenport 0
(18-25, 16-25, 18-25)

- Saint Leo controlled the action from the get-go and out-hit Davenport severely, .407 to .185.

- The Lions hit at least .333 in each of the three sets including .476 in the opening frame.

- Saint Leo's middle blocker, Anilise Fitzi hit an unheard of .846 with 11 kills and not a single error on 13 swings.

- The Panthers were led by Kreiger (11 kills, one solo block and an ace), White (15 assists and an ace), Hayes (15 assists), and Rudnitsky (14 digs).

NEXT UP
Davenport will finish up play in Indianapolis' tournament on Saturday by facing Illinois Springfield at 10 a.m. and the host Greyhounds at 7 p.m.

Story by: Cooper Weidenthaler