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

NAPERVILLE, Ill. (Oct. 19, 2022) - In a battle between the top two teams in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin, the North Central College women's volleyball team found themselves on the wrong side of a thrilling five-set match inside a packed Gregory Arena.

After a back-and-forth start to set one, a 5-0 run capped off by two service aces from Emily Stallmann put the Cardinals on top, 12-9. The Firebirds as a kill from Amber Vande Hei later in the set knotted the score at 18. Finding themselves down 24-21, North Central won the next five points to win an exciting first set, 26-24.

 With the second set tied at 5-5, a kill by Aidan Brown sparked a 6-1 rally for the Cardinals to take an 11-6 advantage. Adding to their lead, aces from Trinity Evans and Stallmann gave North Central a 21-12 lead. To close out set two, Abbi Barickman and Sarah Elischer blocked a Firebird attack to win the set, 25-16.

Carthage came out strong in set three with a 5-1 lead before the Cardinals responded by scoring six of the next seven points to retake the lead, 7-6. Both teams traded points as a kill from Brown tied the contest at 17. The Firebirds ended the set on a 7-2 run to win the third set, 25-21.

Again, the Firebirds opened the set with momentum as they held a 15-8 edge in set four. A Brown kill followed by an ace began an 8-1 rally for North Central to bring themselves within one, 18-17. With their backs against the wall, down 24-20, the Cardinals scored four straight points to tie the set at 24 before Carthage took the fourth set by scoring the final two points.

In a winner-take-all fifth set, kills from Danni Moser put North Central on top, 4-2. Carthage rallied off the next four points before a kill from Brown put the score at 7-6. The Firebirds went on an 8-3 run to close out the final set and win, 15-9 and the match, 3-2. 

Abbi Barickman tied her career record in kills with 18 as Brown (16) and Vande Hei (13) also recorded double-digit kills. Maddi Barickman dished out 34 assists in her four sets played while Anna Gawron tallied 16. Stallmann totaled 21 digs and four aces on the night. Elischer posted four solo blocks on top of her three block assists.

North Central faces Beloit College on Friday evening inside Gregory Arena. The non-conference match is set to begin at 7 p.m.

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