Contact: Drew Sauer, Assistant Sports Information Director, 630-637-5324

Box Score

DECATUR, Ill. (Oct. 13, 2015) – In a thrilling and record setting five-set College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) matchup on Tuesday, the North Central College women's volleyball team battled back to defeat a tough Millikin University squad 3-2, while Laura Kluk etched her name atop the program's all-time assist list.
 
Kluk's 43 assists on the evening give the senior setter 3,569 career assists, passing Ryan Lally '13 (3, 559) on the program's all-time list.
 
The Cardinals (18-9, 2-1 CCIW) fell behind 15-8 early in the opening set, but managed to slowly climb back into the set and draw within one, 23-22.  The Big Blue lead was just too much for North Central to overcome, as Millikin (15-8, 3-1 CCIW) claimed two of the final three points to win the first set 25-23.
 
Leading a majority of the second set, the Cardinals held a 23-19 lead late, but two straight Millikin points forced a North Central timeout.  Coming out of the timeout, a Cara Howell kill gave the Cardinals set point, and after a Cardinal service error, Claire Vrabec sent home the game-winning kill off a set from Laura Kluk to clinch the set 25-22.
 
Set number three was all Millikin, as the Big Blue jumped out to a 3-0 lead and never surrendered the lead the rest of the way.  North Central finished with a match-low .067 attack percentage en route to the 25-18 loss.
 
North Central came out slow in the fourth set as well, trailing 17-10 early on, but the Cardinal attack came alive to battle back and knot the score 21-21.  After an Amanda Walker gave North Central a 22-21 advantage, three Big Blue errors in the final four points gave the Cardinals the 25-23 win.
 
The fifth and final set was back-and-forth until the end and with the score tied 13-13, Howell prompted set point for the Cardinals with a kill, while yet another Big Blue attack error on the following point clinched the match for North Central.
 
Howell's 13 kills paced the Cardinal attack, while Walker added 12 kills and Anna Billman finished with 11.  Defensively, Jill Galovic finished with 11 digs, while Kelly McGovern and Olivia Hanley added nine and seven, respectively.  Walker turned in a team-high five blocks, while Howell finished with four and Billman added three.
 
North Central plays host to Wheaton College on Friday, Oct. 16, with the match slated for 7 p.m.  Links to live in-game statistics and video are available HERE.