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

ELMHURST, Ill. (Oct. 22, 2011) - The North Central College volleyball team went 1-3 in four matches during the Elmhurst College Invitational at R.A. Faganel Hall on Friday and Saturday.

The Cardinals lost to the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, 3-2, and the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, 3-1, on Friday. North Central defeated Lawrence University (Wis.), 3-0, on Saturday before closing the weekend with a 3-1 loss to Simpson College (Iowa).

North Central lost each of the first two sets against Platteville by identical scores of 25-21. The Cardinals bounced back and won the next two sets, 27-25 and 25-21, before a 15-4 setback in the fifth set. Crystal Wright and Jenae Harner each finished with 12 kills in the match, while Ryan Lally totaled 39 assists. Sarah Eggert added 21 digs.

River Falls pounced on the Cardinals early, winning the first two sets, 25-14 and 25-13. After absorbing a 25-20 third-set loss, River Falls closed out the match with a 25-19 victory. Kayla Murphy and Laura Drabant paced the Cardinals with nine and seven kills, respectively, Lally put up 27 assists, and Lauren Pool contributed three total blocks.

The Cardinals had little trouble with Lawrence, winning in straight sets, 25-16, 25-16, and 25-14. Amber Ladwig finished with a match-high 11 kills and Harner added 10, and Lally provided 40 assists and five service aces. 

Simpson defeated North Central, 25-17 and 25-23, in the first two sets, and the Cardinals fought back for a 25-23 victory over their own in the third set before losing the fourth, 25-21. Ladwig and Harner tallied 13 and 12 kills, respectively, and Lally finished with 35 assists. Harner also led the team in digs (12).

The Cardinals (15-15) conclude College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin regular-season play on Tuesday, traveling to take on Millikin University (22-10) at 7 p.m.