Contact: Anna Fox, Sports Information Graduate Assistant, amfox@noctrl.edu
 
DUBUQUE, Ill. (Apr. 10, 2024) - Facing off against Loras College for the third time this season, the North Central College men's volleyball team fought to the very end before falling to the Duhawks 3-0 in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) Semifinal match on Wednesday night.
 
North Central and Loras kept the start of the match close, including three ties in the first six points. At 3-3, the Duhawks outscored the Cardinals in an 8-3 rally (11-6). The two teams went back to exchanging points, unfortunately, North Central was not able to catch up. Loras took the first set 25-19 after a block from their defense.
 
The second set saw five tied scores. The Duhawks jumped to a 3-0 lead, but the Cardinals fought back to tie the match with kills from Jared Moser and Tyler Donovan (4-4). The two teams traded off points for a long stretch to tie the set at 16-16. Loras took the next two points before Austin Scott put an end to the Duhawks run with a kill (18-17). North Central and Loras continued this pattern, with the Cardinals finding themselves down by three (23-20). A kill from the Loras offense earned the Duhawks the second set.
 
Loras earned four consecutive points before Tyler Donovan earned the Cardinals their first two points, one by a kill and one off a service ace (4-2). At 7-5, the Duhawks earned three straight points until a kill by Scott snapped Loras' momentum (10-7). Shortly after, it was the Cardinals turn to earn three consecutive points. At 11-7, Scott and Cooper Lundal recorded kills along with a Duhawk error, to lead North Central to within one point (11-10). Loras gained momentum to outscore the Cardinals 6-2 (17-12). North Central continued to fight but fell short after a service ace from the Duhawks, 25-19.
 
Donovan and Lundal led the Cardinals on both offense and defensive fronts. Donovan recorded two service aces and 22 assists, along with nine digs. Lundal tallied eight kills and two blocks.
 
North Central finished the season 14-10 and 4-6 in conference play. The Cardinals had three athletes named to the All-CCIW second team: Donovan, Lundal, and Moser. North Central will graduate eight athletes along, with Kaden Dolbee, the Cardinals student manager.
 
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