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

Box Score

RIVER FOREST, Ill. (Sept. 4, 2019) – A late come from behind first set win set the tone for the rest of the evening as the North Central College women's volleyball team scored their first win of the season on Wednesday with a 3-0 shutout over Concordia University Chicago inside Geiseman Gymnasium.
 
Trailing nearly the entire opening set, the Cardinals faced their largest deficit 21-15 but caught fire at just the right time, closing the set on a 10-1 run to steal away the all-important first set. 
 
A kill off the hand of Kaylee Allensworth started the rally, before a Cougar attack error and a kill from Reagan Raymer trimmed the lead in half.  After the two teams traded errors, a huge block from Emmie Naal and Kimberly Epker pulled the Cardinals to within two, 22-20.
 
Another kill from Raymer and a service ace from Allensworth evened the score 22 all, while Raymer and Epker teamed up on a block to overtake the lead for the first time since the set's fifth point.  Allensworth took over from there, acing the Cougars on back-to-back serves to complete the 25-23 comeback victory.
 
Set two was back and forth early until the Cardinals broke open a 14-14 tie with a four-point swing, highlighted by two service aces from Epker and another Raymer kill in what proved to be the set's pivotal run as North Central held the lead the rest of the way en route to a 25-21 win.
 
Holding a 2-0 lead in the match, North Central faced an early 7-3 deficit in the third set, but just as like the opener, a huge 10-3 rally suddenly shifted the momentum and gave the Cardinals a 13-10 lead.  Naal recorded three kills during the rally, while Katelynn Kuehl got in on the service ace party with a pair of her own as North Central finished the match with a season-high 12 aces.
 
North Central (1-4) did not surrender the lead the rest of the match, closing out the third set 25-18 as the Cardinals hit .343 in the final set. 
 
Allensworth led all players with 12 kills, while Naal also finished in double-figures with 10.  Kiarah Horn passed out 32 assists on the evening, while Allensworth and Kuehl each finished with four service aces.  Defensively, Lexi Barry recorded a team-leading 14 digs, while Horn added 11.
 
The Cardinals open the home portion of the schedule on Friday, Sept. 6, hosting the North Central Invitational and will take on Coe College at 7 p.m. inside Gregory Arena.  Links to live in-game coverage are available HERE.

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