Contact: Nicholas Osterloo, Assistant Sports Information Director, 630-637-5324
ROCK ISLAND (Oct. 25, 2024) - Returning to College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin play, the North Central College women's volleyball team won the first set before dropping three straight sets to fall 3-1 to Augustana College Friday night inside the Carver Center.
Riley Clark used her fourth kill of the set to put the Cardinals ahead, 8-7 early in the opening set. A block from Abby Buban and Amber Vandei Hei capped off a 6-1 rally from North Central, forcing a Vikings timeout, up 13-8. The Cardinals kept the momentum on their side as a kill from Abbi Barickman and Clark followed by an ace from Maddi Barickman extended the North Central lead to nine, 18-11. Lauren Benson, Buban and A. Barickman used kills to give the Cardinals set point where Buban and Vande Hei teamed up for a block to secure a 25-18 victory in set one.
The second set was tight early on as two kills from Vande Hei evened the contest at 8-8. Both teams stayed neck and neck throughout the majority of the set. Another ace from M. Barickman put the Cardinals on top, 13-12. Augustana fought back to knot the set at 18-18 before claiming a 25-20 win in set two.
Clark's first kill of the third set gave North Central a slight 7-5 advantage. After the Cardinals took a four-point lead, the Vikings used a 6-0 run to take a 14-12 lead, forcing a North Central timeout. The Cardinals battled back with a kill from Benson and an ace from M. Barickman regave North Central the lead, up 18-16. Augustana scored five of the final six points to take a 25-23 win in set three.
A block from Clark and Benson put the fourth set into a tie at 4-4 early on. After a four-point swing from the Vikings and a Cardinal timeout, a kill from A. Barickman tied the contest at 11-11. The teams stayed close before an ace from Katie Godo gave North Central a two-point edge, 19-17, forcing a Viking timeout. Another Augustana run knotted the set at 22 before winning 25-23.
Vande Hei led the Cardinals with 14 kills and two blocks while Clark notched 13 kills on the night. M. Barickman dished out 48 assists over the four sets while posting three aces. Bailey Houlihan paced the North Central defense with 16 digs. The Cardinals hit .217 with the Vikings posting a .224 hitting percentage.
The Cardinals stay in Rock Island to take on the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse to finish out the triangular. That match is set for 11 a.m. inside the Carver Center.
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