Contact: Taiah Gallisath, Sports Information Graduate Assistant, tkgallisath@noctrl.edu

CHICAGO, Ill. (Mar. 14, 2023) - The North Central College men's volleyball team extended their undefeated conference record to 5-0 after its three-set sweep over the North Park University Vikings on Tuesday.

Jeremy Cardenas set the momentum for the Cardinals scoring the first point of the match before teaming up with Luke Schmidt for two blocks to give North Central (14-3, 5-0 CCIW) a 13-6 advantage in set one. The Cardinals held North Park (9-9, 1-4 CCIW) to one-point possessions for the remainder of the set while back-to-back kills by Schmidt sealed the set one win, 25-12.

Set two saw an early point-for-point battle until Austin Scott sparked a five point run to put the Cardinals up 7-2. Scott picked up five kills in the second set, with the fifth coming in the Cardinals final three-point possession of the set. With North Central at set-point, North Park scored two more points off of a kill and block by Sam Robinson, that is until Tyler Donovan set up Cardenas for a kill to take set two 25-16. 

North Park found itself ahead 4-0 at the start of the third set, but the Cardinals quickly rallied for six straight points initiated by Cardenas and completed by Jared Moser's five kills to take the lead 7-5. The Vikings fought to keep the Cardinals at one and two point possessions but with North Central's lead still climbing, a final ace by Moser secured the 25-17 set win and clinched the program's tenth sweep of the season. 

Moser totaled 14 kills, two aces, and eight digs on the evening while Scott had nine kills. Cardenas knocked down six kills, four blocks, and one ace while Donovan added 29 assists, two blocks, and eight digs to his resume.

North Central hosts non-conference opponent Marian University on Friday, March 17 at 5 p.m. inside Gregory Arena.

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