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

Robert Morris Box Score

Saint Mary's Box Score

Oct. 9, 2015 – Beginning play in the 14^th annual Tiffany Robinson Memorial Tournament on Friday, the North Central College women's volleyball team turned in a pair of 3-1 wins over Robert Morris University Chicago and Saint Mary's University (Minnesota).
 
The Cardinals (16-8) struggled to get anything going in the first set again Robert Morris (6-16) and trailed 15-11 midway through, but managed to knot the score 24-24 late.   Despite a match-high 16 kills in the first set, the Cardinals also committed a match-high eight attack errors which proved costly down the stretch, as the Eagles' Alyssa Harkema put the visitors ahead by one with a kill and a Cardinal attack error on the following point clinched the opening set 26-24 in favor of the Eagles.
 
North Central found its stride in the second set, jumping out to a 7-1 lead after kills from Cara Howell, Claire Vrabec and Anna Billman, as well as a service ace off the hand of Julie Laugel.  That lead would not last long however, as the Eagles rallied to score eight straight points a little later in the set and tie the score at 13.
 
Responding with a 6-1 run of its own, the Cardinals regained the lead 19-14, highlighted by service aces from Ashley Powers and Kelly McGovern, as well as two more kills from Howell.  North Central would have no problem closing out the second set, as three straight kills from the Cardinal attack ended the set 25-18.
 
Set four was all North Central as the attack came alive to the tune of a .538 attack percentage, finishing with 15 kills to just one attack error.  The Cardinals jumped out to a 15-5 lead early and never looked back, winning the set 25-12.
 
With the score tied 6-6 in set number four, the Cardinals rattled off seven of the next eight points behind three Amanda Walker kills to take a 13-7 advantage.  North Central maintained the lead the remainder of the contest, eventually securing the set 25-21.
 
Howell finished with a match-high 19 kills to lead the Cardinal attack, while Walker added 11 and Vrabec chipped in 10.  McGovern and Jill Galovic each finished with three of the Cardinals 12 service aces, while Galovic added 18 digs defensively.  Powers led all players with 48 assists in the opener, to go along with two service aces and nine digs.
 
In the nightcap win over Saint Mary's (16-4), the Cardinals found themselves trailing 15-13 halfway through set one, but rallied to score the next seven points, taking advantage of six Saint Mary's attack errors.  North Central would not surrender the lead the remainder of the set, while a Laura Kluk service ace secured the first set 25-19.
 
Set two was back-and-forth early until North Central scored six straight points to take a 24-15 lead and force set point.  Billman finished off the set for North Central with a kill from Kluk two points later, giving the Cardinals a commanding 2-0 lead in the match.
 
Looking to close out the match in three sets, the Cardinals were upended in a wild third set in which the Cardinals trailed 12-6 early on but managed to come back and tie the score at 23 late.  After a kill from Macki Fadness gave Saint Mary's a 24-23 lead, the Cardinals held off two straight set points to once again knot the score 25-25.
 
After a Billman kill and a Saint Mary's attack error turned the tables and gave North Central a set point 26-25, Saint Mary's rallied to score the next two points and once again regain the advantage and the all-important set point.
 
Despite holding off another five set points, the Cardinals could not overcome the lead as Saint Mary's eventually pulled out the third set victory 33-31.
 
After a long third set, North Central came out slow in the fourth and trailed 13-9 early, but regained its composure to close out the final set on a ridiculous 16-2 run and claim a 25-15 victory.
 
Walker led the Cardinal attack with 12 kills in match two, while Vrabec once again finished with 10 kills.  Walker also finished with a match-high nine blocks, moving into fifth-place on the program's career blocks list (282).
 
Kluk finished with a game-high 36 assists, while her two service aces move her into fifth-place on the program's career service aces list (133).
 
North Central returns to action in day two of the Tiffany Robinson Memorial Tournament tomorrow with an early 9 a.m. start time against Purdue University North Central, followed by a 1 p.m. match against Loras College.  The link to the tournament website is available HERE.