MILWAUKEE -- Alverno College dropped a pair of matches in its home debut today at Reiman Gymnasium in Milwaukee, losing to Northland International University 3-0 and then to Lawrence University 3-0. Lawrence defeated NIU, 3-0, in the other match of the triangular.

In the first set versus NIU (7-4) the Inferno (0-6) kept things close, leading 10-9 on a miscue by the visitors. But the Pioneers would go on a 7-0 run to take the lead for good and come away with the 25-10 victory.

NIU won the second set 25-16, and took advantage of 12 attack errors by the Inferno in the third set for 25-12 victory and the sweep.

Freshman Kellee Laske (Milwaukee/Pius XI) led the Alverno offense with six kills on 22 attempts. Junior Ashley Graham (Cudahy, Wis.) had a team-high 11 assists in the match and had four kills of her own from the setter position, while rookie Morgan Stuckey (Duncanville, Texas) had a match-high 12 digs in the loss.

In match two versus Lawrence, the visiting Vikings took an early 13-4 lead in set one and cruised to a 25-14 victory. But set two was a different story. The Inferno jumped out to a 4-1 lead by back-to-back kills by Stuckey.

The Vikings would tie things up at 5-5, and the teams would trade points to ties at 7-7, 9-9 and 11-11 until the Vikings took over the set on a 7-0 run and came away with the 25-17 win.

Lawrence would then connect on a match-high 14 kills in the third set and come away with the 25-13 win for the match victory.

Stuckey and Chelsea Gulbronson (Milwaukee/Pius XI) each had five kills to lead the Inferno offense, while Graham recorded 11 assists and four kills for the second time in the night. Laske led the defense with nine digs.

The Inferno are next in action next Tuesday, Sept. 14, when they open up Northern Athletics Conference play against defending conference co-champion Lakeland College. Match time is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Reiman Gymnasium.