Kewaunee came out strong Tuesday night, winning the opening set and holding leads late in the second and third, but N.E.W. Lutheran’s persistence and steady defense helped the Blazers rally back for a four-set victory.

After a back-and-forth start in set one, the Storm took control at 13-13 and used a six-point run to pull away, cruising to a 25-15 win.

Kewaunee looked to build on that momentum, jumping ahead 12-6 in the second set before N.E.W. Lutheran battled back to take its first lead at 14-13. The teams traded points the rest of the way before the Blazers edged out the 25-23 win to even the match.

The third set followed a similar pattern as Kewaunee led early, but late errors opened the door for the Blazers, who closed strong for a 25-22 victory and a 2-1 advantage.

With momentum on their side, N.E.W. Lutheran started fast in the fourth, racing out to an 8-1 lead that the Storm couldn’t overcome, finishing the match with a 25-20 set win to take it 3-1.

Kewaunee drops just below .500 on the season at 11-12 overall and evens out in conference play at 4-4, while N.E.W. Lutheran improves to 18-18 (3-4).

The Storm will look to bounce back Saturday with a non-conference matchup against Crivitz at 10 a.m.