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NORTH MANCHESTER, Ind. (Sept. 27, 2025) - Behind 10 aces from setter
Sarah Harvey, the North Central College women's volleyball team defeated St. Mary's College (Ind.), 3-2, in the first match before falling to Manchester University in five sets on Saturday inside Stauffer-Wolfe Arena.
The Belles, who entered the day undefeated, jumped out to a 7-3 lead in the opening set. A 9-0 run by the Cardinals, highlighted by six aces from Harvey, put North Central on top 15-13. St. Mary's put together a run of their own, winning six of the next seven points to take a 19-16 lead. With a 22-22 lead, the Belles won the final three points to take set one, 25-22.
The teams traded points early on in the second set. A kill from Danni Moser sparked a 6-0 run by the Cardinals, taking a 13-10 advantage. More back-and-forth action was followed by a five-point swing to bring North Central within a point, 24-21. A block from Abby Buban sealed a 25-22 victory in set two.
Lauren Benson's kill opened a 6-1 run for the Cardinals to go up 10-5 in the third set. St. Mary's stormed back within a point before back-to-back blocks from Abranet Layne kept North Central in front, 17-13. Three kills down the stretch from Moser clinched a 25-20 win for the Cardinals.
St. Mary's jumped out to an 11-5 lead in set three. Sarah Lezon and Benson's kills kept the Cardinals around, but a 9-1 run from the Belles all but forced a fifth set with a 25-12 win.
North Central responded by opening the final set with an 8-0 lead as the Cardinals scored three straight points on blocks. A kill from Buban and Benson put the Cardinals close to victory before a kill from Benson and another ace from Harvey locked up a 15-8 win for North Central.
Harvey tallied 10 aces, the most by a Cardinal since 2006 and tied for fourth all-time in program history. Those 10 aces are also the second-most in a Division III match this season. Moser posted 18 kills with Lezon recording 10. Harvey sent out 43 assists with Aleesa Zebold registering 12 digs.
Harvey kicked off the second match of the day with an ace before the Spartans took a 9-4 lead behind an 8-1 rally. After a 4-1 swing by the Cardinals, Manchester scored six of the next seven points to take a 16-9 advantage. Kills from Benson and Buban brought North Central within five, but Manchester took a 25-17 win in set one.
A kill from Layne gave the Cardinals a 6-2 edge in the second set. An ace from Katie Godo and kills from Benson Moser kept the momentum on the visitors side. Manchester battled back to even the set at 17-17. Another kill from Moser opened an 8-2 run that sealed set two, 25-19.
Back-to-back kills from Benson and an ace from Demi Carpio gave the Cardinals a 9-4 advantage. Two kills from Ava Hoff capped off a 9-3 run gave North Central a double-digit lead, 18-8. Three errors from the Spartans clinched a 25-11 win for the Cardinals.
Staying alive, Manchester took an 8-3 lead before doubling up the Cardinals, 14-7. A late rally from North Central brought them within four, 22-18. The Spartans earned a 25-19 lead in set three. An ace from Jordan Surber knotted the fifth set at 5-5. Manchester closed out the set on a 7-2 run to earn a 15-9 victory.
Moser led all players with 20 kills, followed closely by Benson with 14. Harvey dished out 47 assists. The Cardinals hit .196 in the match.
The Cardinals return to College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin play after a 10-day hiatus to visit North Park University on Oct. 8. The first serve inside Carlson Gymnasium is set for 7 p.m.
