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Even though it was Senior Night for the Oswego State volleyball team on Tuesday, it was a junior that stole the show as Katie van Kessel tallied a career-high 24 kills to lift the Lakers past SUNYIT, 3-1, at Max Ziel Gymnasium.  Oswego State defeated the Wildcats, 26-24, 25-21, 23-25, and 25-18, to avenge a loss that took place ten days earlier.  The game also served as a Dig Pink game with the Lakers raising over $1,100 for the Susan G. Komen Foundation for breast cancer research.  Oswego State moved to 9-16 overall with the victory, while SUNYIT dropped to 17-9.

The Lakers trailed in the first set 17-15 before scoring six straight points behind a pair of kills from van Kessel and several Wildcat miscues to take control of the set 21-17.  SUNYIT fought back to even the set at 24 apiece following kills from Nicole Higgins and Juleah Vedder, but two hitting errors gave Oswego State the first set, 26-24.

The Lakers carried the momentum into the next set to open up a 19-10 lead.  However, the Wildcats won 11 of the next 14 points to pull within one point at 22-21 after an Oswego State serving error.  Senior outside hitter Jess Isgro recorded one of her 12 kills on the next point to give the Lakers a small two-point cushion.  Oswego State closed out the set with a service ace by Liz Crouch and SUNYIT mistake to grab a two-set lead.

The Wildcats shook up their lineup in the third set providing them with some energy as they raced out to a 17-9 lead.  Aggressive serving by senior Rachel Rossi and Stephany Olsheski created several offensive opportunities for the Lakers, who leveled the set at 22-22.  SUNYIT went on to win three of the next four points to force a fourth set after a well-placed Loveless tip clinched the set for the Wildcats, 25-23.

Oswego State stormed out of the gates taking a 15-8 lead, and appeared to be headed to an easy victory until Vedder stepped behind the service line.  Vedder rattled off six consecutive points, utilized her heavy topspin spin to bring SUNYIT back into the final set, 15-14.  However, that would be as close the Wildcats would get as they could not find an answer for van Kessel, who recorded five kills down the stretch, to give the Lakers a victory.

In addition to compiling 24 kills, van Kessel recorded a blazing hot .435 hitting percentage to go along with 12 digs.  Libero Liz Crouch lead the defensive effort with 17 digs followed by Rossi's 16.  Olsheski finished the match with 50 assists.  Vedder paced SUNYIT with 24 kills and 16 digs in the losing effort, but no other player finished with more than eight kills. 

Oswego State will now prepare to host SUNYAC Pool Play this coming weekend starting with a 3 p.m. match against Buffalo State.

The Lakers would also like to thank the following businesses and organizations for their contributions towards their fundraising effort: Burritt Motors, Oswego Cinema 7, Domino's Pizza, Ponderosa, Lighthouse Lanes, Subway, Stones Candy, Pizza Hut , Price Chopper, Mimi' s Drive Inn , Fajita Grill, Dunkin' Donuts, Tanning Bed, Canale's, SUNYIT, Kraftees, Oswego County Firefighters Association, and the 2010 Penn State Women's Volleyball team.  They would also like to extend a special thanks to the SUNY Oswego Colleges Against Cancer chapter.