Emma Happ
Steve Woltmann
2
North Central (IL) NCC 7-8,2-4 CCIW
3
Winner Millikin MIL-U 17-7,4-3 CCIW
North Central (IL) NCC
7-8,2-4 CCIW
2
Final
3
Millikin MIL-U
17-7,4-3 CCIW
Winner
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 4 5 F
North Central (IL) NCC 20 28 21 27 9 (2)
Millikin MIL-U 25 26 25 25 15 (3)

Game Recap: Women's Volleyball |

Cardinals Fall Short in Five Set Battle With Big Blue

Contact: Nicholas Osterloo, Assistant Sports Information Director, 630-637-5324

DECATUR, Ill. (Oct. 20, 2021) - Playing in their final road match of the regular season, the North Central College women's volleyball team forced Millikin to five sets but ultimately lost the fifth set on Wednesday night inside of the Griswold Center.

Maddi Barickman's early service ace put the Cardinals ahead 2-1 in the opening set. A kill from Isabelle Guerrero stopped Millikin's 6-0 run before another North Central ace, this time from Emily Stallmann brought the score to 9-5. Closing the gap to three, Emma Happ and Kaitlyn Boelter-Eberhardt stopped a Big Blue attack as the score sat at 12-9. After another Big Blue run, North Central responded with an 8-2 rally to shrink Millikin's lead to one, 19-18. The Big Blue would win six of the next eight points to win the first set, 25-20.

Following an ace and a kill from Trinity Evans, the second set came to a 6-6 tie. Millikin went on a 9-3 rally, giving them a 15-9 edge. North Central answered with a run of their own as an 8-2 run knotted the set at 17-17. With their backs against the wall, the Cardinals won seven of the final nine points to take the second set, 28-26.

Millikin jumped out to a 5-2 advantage before North Central scored the next five points to take a 7-5 lead in the third set. Each team traded runs until the Big Blue held a 20-15 edge. Despite the Cardinals' efforts, Millikin took the third set, 25-21. 

Looking to push the match to a fifth set, North Central used a Big Blue service error to take a 10-7 lead. Back-to-back Guerrero kills followed by a Millikin attack error put the Cardinals ahead, 15-11. Guerrero's sixth kill of the set gave North Central a 24-22 lead. After the Big Blue tied the set at 24, North Central prevailed and won 27-25 in set four.

In a must-win final set, Guerrero's kill put the score at 7-4, with Millikin in front. A Happ service ace brought the Cardinals within four at 11-7. The Big Blue closed out the set and the match with a service ace to win 15-9 in the fifth set.

Guerrero led the Cardinals on offense with 11 kills, followed closely by Boelter-Eberhardt (9) and Amber Vande Hei (8). M. Barickman dished out a season-high 37 assists while Happ posted four aces, six block assists, and a solo block. Stallmann recorded three aces to go along with her 20 digs. Tori Stuart finished with 17 kills for Millikin with Reece Brown sending out 44 assists on the night.

North Central returns home on Friday as they host Elmhurst. The match is set to begin at 7 PM with senior night festivities beginning prior to the match. You can find links to live video and live stats HERE.

Download the free North Central Cardinals app, available for iOS and Android devices, to receive up-to-the-minute news, scores, and updates on your favorite North Central teams. Click HERE for more information.
 
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