Contact: Anna Fox, Sports Information Graduate Assistant, amfox@noctrl.edu
 
Jan. 23, 2025 - The No. 16 North Central College men's volleyball team fought to the very end of their match to secure a comeback win against Illinois Institute of Technology 3-2 Thursday night. The Cardinals extended their perfect program history record against the Scarlet Hawks (9-0).
 
North Central and IIT kept the score close in the first set. With the Cardinals up 9-8, North Central took a three-point run after a kill from Cooper Lundal and back-to-back kills from Carson Steinbach (12-8). The Cardinals kept their lead until the Scarlet Hawks could tie the set (21-21). Three attacking errors from IIT and a kill from Lundal gave North Central the set 25-21.
 
The second set saw 14 ties and six lead changes. North Central and IIT traded off points for most of the set until the end. Freshman PJ Vaughan recorded his first service ace of the night to give the Cardinals a one-point lead (20-19). But the Scarlet Hawks took advantage of Cardinal errors and took the set's lead (23-20). North Central fought back but was not able to close the gap. IIT won the set 25-22.
 
The Cardinals and the Scarlet Hawks took turns taking big runs in the third set. North Central took the first two points before IIT went on a five-point run (5-2) and stole all momentum. Down 20-12, the Cardinals chipped away at the Scarlet Hawks lead, working their way back to within two points (22-20). Unfortunately, IIT took the set 25-22.
 
The fourth set saw nine tied scores and one lead change. Tied 2-2, the Scarlet Hawks took a 6-1 run (8-3). However, down 14-10, it was the Cardinal's turn to earn five consecutive points (14-14), including back-to-back service aces by Brannen Almarales. North Central found themselves down 24-20 before another five-point run ripped the momentum from the Scarlet Hawks. The five consecutive points were earned from two kills by BK Bartlett, a kill by Steinbach, a service ace by Jeffrey McEachern, and an IIT error. IIT tied the set at 25-25, Lundal delivered a kill, and a service ace from Vaughan sent the match into a fifth set.
 
North Central brought their newly found energy straight into the final set. Alamarales set the pace of the set with a service ace for the Cardinals, followed by a kill from Steinbach (2-0). North Central held their lead and earned four consecutive points, putting the match in reach. IIT fought back, but with the help of two errors from the Scarlet Hawks, the Cardinals took the set 15-11 and the match. 
 
Alamarales and Vaughn led the Cardinals' offense; each tallied three service aces. Jeffrey McEachern recorded 11 kills, followed closely by Lundal (10) and Steinbach (10). Additionally, Steinbach recorded 33 assists. Danny Smithers and Lundal led the Cardinal defense. Smithers recorded 21 digs, while Lundal recorded six blocks.

The Cardinals will travel down the road to take on Benedictine University in the annual Christian Staple's Battle of Chicago and Maple match at 5 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 25, in Rice Center, Lisle, Ill.
 
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