FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Clark Teuscher, Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302

Nov. 4, 2008 – The North Central College volleyball team will compete for a College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Tournament championship this weekend, after posting a 3-1 victory over Wheaton College (Ill.) in Tuesday's CCIW Play-In Match at Gregory Arena.

The Cardinals (24-12) defeated Wheaton for the second time this season, having won by the same score on the Thunder's home court Oct. 3.

North Central trailed, 21-20, late in the first set of the evening before closing with a 5-1 rally to win, 25-22. The hosts held a 24-17 advantage in the second set and withstood a late Wheaton surge before prevailing, 25-21.

The Thunder (14-15) broke up the shutout with a 25-18 victory in the third frame, but North Central stormed out of the gate in the fourth set, taking an 11-2 lead, and cruised to a 25-18 win to close out the match.

Crystal Wright (Fr., Lake Zurich, Ill./Lake Zurich) totaled 12 kills in the match, and shared the team lead in digs with Jessica Eggert (Sr., Woodridge, Ill./Downers Grove North), as each had 18. Stacie Mokros (Jr., Lena, Ill./Lena-Winslow) turned in 11 kills, while Eggert added 10.

Stephanie Ryding (Jr., Naperville, Ill./Naperville Central) put up 17 digs to go with 39 assists, Jamie Drozd (Fr., Palos Park, Ill./Stagg) totaled 16 digs, and Anna Wirtz (So., Machesney Park, Ill./Harlem) added 15. Christy Hermann (Jr., Washington, Ill./Illinois Central CC) compiled six total blocks.

The Cardinals, seeded second in the CCIW Tournament, travel to top-seeded Carthage College (Wis.) for the remainder of the event. North Central will play its semifinal match at 4:30 p.m. on Friday.