FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Clark Teuscher, Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302
Box Score
HOLLAND, Mich. (Nov. 13, 2009) – The North Central College volleyball team saw its initial appearance in the NCAA Division III Regional Championships come to an end on Friday, as the Cardinals lost a 3-1 decision to the Ohio Northern University Polar Bears at Hope College's DeVos Fieldhouse.
The Cardinals (35-5) close the 2009 season as the winningest team in school history, outdistancing the previous school single-season record of 31 victories, set in 1999.
The fifth-ranked Polar Bears (29-3) dominated the opening set, scoring the first three points and leading throughout. ONU extended its lead throughout the first frame, winning by a 25-12 count.
Ohio Northern led early in the second set as well, but the Cardinals bounced back and took a 13-8 lead following back-to-back kills by Crystal Wright. The Polar Bears rallied and tied the score at on three occasions, the last of which occurred at 22-22, but North Central picked up the final three points to wind up on top, 25-22.
Trailing, 13-10, in the third set, the Cardinals strung together four points to take a 14-13 lead. Ohio Northern, however, countered with a run of its own and owned a slim lead before a strong finish yielded a 25-20 win.
The fourth set was closely contested in the early going, but the Polar Bears broke free late and sealed the win with a 25-16 victory.
Jenae Harner turned in a team-best 10 kills for North Central, which got 38 assists from Ryan Lally. Stephanie Ryding put up 37 digs and Anna Wirtz tallied 21.
