Contact: Nicholas Osterloo, Director of Athletics Communication, 630-637-5324
ELMHURST, Ill. (Nov. 10, 2026) - The North Central College women's volleyball team came out firing to take the first set against Elmhurst University in the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) Tournament Quarterfinals before the Bluejays won the next three sets to advance to the semifinals.
Ava Hoff's kill put the first points on the board in the opening set of the CCIW Tournament Quarterfinals. Lauren Benson and Abby Buban added kills as a Bluejay error evened the contest at 6-6. Elmhurst opened a four-point lead at 14-10 before an ace from Hoff brought the Cardinals within one, 14-13. A kill from Buban capped a three-point run for North Central, giving the Cardinals a 16-15 lead and forcing an Elmhurst timeout. All-CCIW setter Sarah Harvey delivered an ace, followed by kills from Buban and Hoff, to increase the visitors' lead to three at 20-17. Another ace, this time by Demi Carpio, pushed the advantage to four, 23-19. Elmhurst scored three straight points, but a clutch block from Benson and Jordan Surber halted the run. Needing one point to clinch the first set, Harvey set up Hoff to secure a 25-23 victory.
The Bluejays jumped out to an 8-1 lead in the second set. Giada Schrementi and Buban posted kills as the Cardinals climbed back into the contest, 10-5. Following a North Central timeout, Buban's kill sparked a 9-1 run, capped by another block from Benson and Surber that brought the Cardinals within one point at 15-14. An ace from Benson gave North Central its first lead of the set, 20-19. Elmhurst found its rhythm late, scoring six of the final seven points to earn a 25-21 win and even the match at 1-1.
The teams traded points early in the third set before the Bluejays built a 12-5 advantage. A block from Schrementi and Surber, followed by a Surber kill, brought the Cardinals within two at 13-11. After a North Central timeout with Elmhurst leading by five, back-to-back kills from Buban kept the Cardinals within striking distance at 18-16. The Bluejays closed the set by winning three of the final four points to claim a 25-20 victory.
A pair of kills from Buban and another from Surber put North Central in front, 7-5, in the fourth set. The teams went back and forth before a kill by Benson kept the Cardinals within one at 12-11. A kill from Hoff tied the contest at 18-18. Elmhurst rattled off four straight points, but two more kills from Buban forced a Bluejay timeout. The Bluejays closed out the match with an ace to advance to the CCIW Tournament Semifinals.
Buban posted a career-high 22 kills to lead all players. Hoff (15 digs, 13 kills) and Harvey (41 assists, 12 digs) each recorded a double-double. North Central hit .140 on the night while Elmhurst posted a .172 hitting percentage. The Bluejays totaled 15 aces in the match compared to four for the Cardinals.
North Central finished the 2026 season with a 9-13 overall record and a 3-5 mark in CCIW play. The Cardinals also posted a 5-2 record at home inside Gregory Arena.
