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

Dubuque Box Score

UW-Stevens Point Box Score

WHEATON, Ill. (Oct. 3, 2015) – Concluding play at the Wheaton College Invitational, the North Central College women's volleyball team was unable to turn in a victory, falling 3-2 to the University of Dubuque in the morning, before dropping a 3-0 decision to 12^th-ranked University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point in the afternoon.
 
The Cardinals (14-7) came out flat in the opening set against Dubuque and trailed 19-8 midway through, as the offensive attack could not sustain any momentum.  The Spartans (10-11) went on to win the first set by a 25-13 score, as the Cardinal attack finished with just a .061 percentage.
 
The North Central attack came alive in set number two, finishing with 17 kills as the set was back-and-forth throughout until back-to-back kills Bridget White and Amanda Walker gave the Cardinals a 23-18 advantage late.
 
Despite three-straight point from the Spartans, kills by White and Tori Wiskow sealed the second set victory for North Central, 25-22.
 
North Central trailed throughout a majority of the third set and faced a 18-13 deficit late, but the Cardinal attack rallied to take a 21-20 lead behind four kills from Claire Vrabec and a two more from Walker.
 
The Cardinal lead did not last long as the Spartans responded with two straight points to take a one-point lead, and with the tie knotted 24-24, Dubuque was able to capitalize on a North Central attack error on set-point after a kill the point prior to take the set 26-24.
 
Holding a 18-12 lead midway through set four, the Cardinals seemed to have the match under control, but Dubuque rallied to score eight of the next nine points to quickly tie the score at 19.
 
The two teams traded points late to force extras and with the score tied at 26, a White kill set up set point for North Central, while a Spartan attack error clinched the fourth set for the Cardinals, 28-26.
 
Set number five was much of the same back-and-forth action and like the set prior went to extra points.  With the score knotted 16-16, a costly Cardinal service error led to a Spartan set point and the Dubuque attack took advantage of the mistake with a kill on the next point to win the set 18-16 and the match.
 
Cara Howell led the Cardinal attack with a game-high 20 kills, while Walker finished with 16 and Vrabec added 11.  Ashley Powers finished with a game-high 54 assists, while defensively Jill Galovic added 22 digs.
 
In the nightcap, the Cardinals ran into a very tough UW-Stevens Point team, ranked No. 12 in the latest American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) National Top 25 Poll. 

North Central had no answers for the Pointer attack in the opening set, as UW-Stevens Point (18-4) jumped out to a 16-3 lead and went on to win the set 25-12 behind a .481 attack percentage, finishing with 15 kills and just two attack errors.
 
Set number two was much of the same dominance from the Pointers, stretching out a 18-11 lead midway through the set.  That lead was too much for the Cardinals to overcome, eventually dropping the set 25-16.
 
North Central battled tough in the third set and managed to hold a 21-21 tie late in the set.  However, three straight points from the Pointers quickly prompted match point and despite staving off two match points, UW-Stevens Point finally put home the game-winning kill to win the set 25-23.
 
Howell once again led the Cardinal offense with nine kills, while Walker and Vrabec each added six.  Powers finished with 26 assists in the nightcap, while defensively Galovic added 19 digs and Walker finished with a match-high four blocks while being named to the all-tournament team.
 
North Central continues College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) play on Tuesday, Oct. 6, traveling to No. 8 Carthage College (15-3) at 7 p.m.  Links to live in-game statistics and video are available HERE.