STEVENS POINT, Wis. – Andrea Di Paola put down his 19^th and final kill to secure Roosevelt's thrilling five-set win over Wisconsin Stevens Point on Tuesday in Wisconsin.

The Lakers (4-15) had four players finish with at least 10 kills while senior setter Michele Bascape broke his own record with 58 assists. Di Paola led the way with 19 kills and
Kajetan Bieniek added 17 of his own with both PINs hitting .244 in the match. Mark Zmojdzin had 14 kills with no errors to hit .700 for the second time this season and Diego Esquivel added 13 kills.

The offense was certainly clicking in the first two sets as Roosevelt jumped out to a 2-0 lead with 25-18 and 25-21 wins in the first two sets. The Pointers scored 25-21 and 25-23 wins to force a fifth set before the Lakers took the decider 15-12.

Roosevelt did not lead in the opening set until Mark Zmojdzin and Di Paola combined on a block to give the Lakers a 12-11 lead. The play was part of a longer run that allowed Roosevelt to turn an 11-9 deficit into a 21-15 lead at its peak. Diego Esquivel had six kills in the opening set and Di Paola and Zmojdzin each had four as Roosevelt hit .481 as a team in the first set.

The second set was also touch-and-go in the first half for the Lakers with the Pointers taking a 14-12 lead. A service error opened the door for Roosevelt and the offensive variety came through to cap off a 5-0 run that gave the Lakers control of the set. Each of Roosevelt's four main attackers – Di Paola, Esquivel, Zmojdzin and Kajetan Bieniek – had a kill to give the Lakers a three-point edge.

Wisconsin Stevens Point broke open the third set in the middle with a 12-3 run before Roosevelt attempted a comeback. After trailing by nine, the Lakers cut the deficit all the way down to three before running out of time in the set. The two teams went back-and-forth in the fourth set with neither team leading by more than three. However, the Pointers won the final two points of the set after a timeout to force a fifth set.

There was little the Pointers could do to slow down the Lakers in the fifth set as Roosevelt had eight kills, hit .467 and registered three blocks to take the match. Di Paola had four kills in the set and added an ace, only the second of the match for Roosevelt, to take a 12-9 lead immediately after a Wisconsin Stevens Point timeout.

Bieniek led the Lakers with 16 digs and Di Paola added 11 himself as both finished with double-doubles. Zmojdzin was part of four of Roosevelt's seven blocks in the match, including a solo stuff in the fifth set that gave Roosevelt the lead for good.

HOME, SWEET HOME: It was a special match for Roosevelt head coach Kelly Magliano, who returned to her alma mater for the first time as a head coach. She now moves to 36-6 all-time at Berg Gym after going 35-6 at the Pointers' home facility as a four-year player.

UP NEXT: The Lakers head to Maryville on April 4 for a 7 p.m. rematch against the Saints in St. Louis. Maryville defeated Roosevelt in straight sets on March 1 at the Goodman Center.