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

Box Score

Sept. 29, 2009 - The North Central College volleyball team got a rude awakening in the opening set against Elmhurst College Tuesday evening, but answered the bell with vigor and came from behind to defeat the Bluejays, 3-1, at Gregory Arena.

The Cardinals, who carried a seven-match winning streak into Tuesday's action, surrendered the first seven points of the opening set and never got untracked, as Elmhurst led throughout and won, 25-12.

North Central fell behind early in the second set as well, but scored five straight points on the serve of Stephanie Ryding to take the lead late and held on for a 25-18 victory to level the match at one set apiece. The hosts jumped out to a 6-2 advantage in the third set and led until the Bluejays tied the score, 16-16. North Central benefited from four straight Elmhurst attacking errors to move back in front, and wound up scoring a 25-21 win.

After trailing early in the fourth set, the Cardinals battled back and engaged in a nip-and-tuck battle right down to the wire, as the score was tied 15 times. With her team leading, 24-23, Ryan Lally closed out the match with a service ace.

Crystal Wright led the Cardinals with 12 kills, and Christy Hermann added nine kills while hitting .562. Lally finished with 45 assists and Ryding totaled a team-high 17 digs.

Elmhurst (7-9, 2-2 College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin) was led by Antoney Veasy Smith, who finished with 14 kills, and Caitlin O'Hara, who put up 13. Katie Beuchel added 17 digs and Paige Fombelle tallied seven total blocks.

North Central (18-1, 2-1 CCIW) is idle until it travels to face CCIW rival Illinois Wesleyan University on Tuesday, Oct. 6.