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

WHEATON, Ill. (Sept. 24, 2011) - The North Central College volleyball team secured one win in two matches in the first day of action at the Wheaton College Invitational on Friday, knocking off Aurora University, 3-1, before a 3-0 loss to St. Norbert College (Wis.) at King Arena.

The Cardinals (8-6) defeated Aurora for the second time this season, duplicating the score of a victory over the Spartans Sept. 9 at North Park University. The teams split the first two sets, as North Central won the first, 25-19, and lost the second, 25-20, before pulling ahead with a 25-18 third-set win and dominating the fourth set, 25-10.

Jenae Harner and Crystal Wright led the Cardinals' attacking efforts with 12 kills each, while Allison Kereven handed out 35 assists and Amber Ladwig provided two service aces. Defensively, North Central was paced by Lauren Pool's three total blocks and Jessie Fiala's 15 digs.

The Cardinals had an opportunity to gain a leg up on St. Norbert (10-4) in a tightly-contested opening set, but the Green Knights came out on top, 27-25. St. Norbert capitalized after seizing the momentum in the match, completing a straight-sets win by taking the next two sets, 25-10 and 25-14.

Harner finished with seven kills and six digs in North Central's second match, while Pool added three total blocks.

The Cardinals resume action at Wheaton on Saturday, taking on Dominican University at 10 a.m. and Purdue University-North Central at 2 p.m.