Contact: Nicholas Osterloo, Director of Athletics Communication, 630-637-5324
ELMHURST, Ill. (Nov. 6, 2026) - Going the distance in the regular season finale, the North Central College women's volleyball team came up short in a five-set thriller against Elmhurst University Friday night inside R.A. Faganel Hall.
An ace from Katie Godo put the Cardinals ahead 2-1 early in the opening set. A 10-2 Bluejays run gave the hosts a 13-6 advantage before Giada Schrementi and Ava Hoff combined for a block to spark a North Central rally. A Hoff kill and two Elmhurst errors trimmed the deficit to 14-12. The Bluejays responded with a 6-2 surge to regain control and went on to claim the first set, 25-19.
The teams traded points early in set two as kills from Hoff and Abby Buban helped North Central build a 7-4 lead and force an Elmhurst timeout. Back-to-back kills from Buban stretched the advantage to 10-5 before the Bluejays answered with five straight points to even the score. The set remained tight until an ace from Hoff broke a 17-17 tie. Hoff served up three aces during a decisive 7-0 Cardinal run as North Central closed out a 25-19 victory to even the match.
A Buban kill gave the Cardinals an early lead in the third set. Jordan Surber and Schrementi teamed up for a block before an ace from Sarah Harvey pushed North Central in front, 10-7. Kills from Hoff and Buban kept the Cardinals in control, while another Harvey ace forced an Elmhurst timeout with North Central leading 20-14. A kill from Bella Benson and an Elmhurst error capped a 25-20 win, putting the Cardinals one set away from the match victory.
North Central opened set four on a 5-0 run and built an 8-6 lead behind back-to-back kills from Buban. Elmhurst answered and eventually tied the score at 13-13. The teams continued to exchange points, with a Hoff kill giving the Cardinals a 20-18 edge late in the set. The Bluejays closed strong, scoring seven of the final nine points to secure a 25-23 win and force a deciding fifth set.
After a Hoff kill gave North Central the opening point of set five, Elmhurst responded with four straight points to force a Cardinal timeout. Kills from Benson and Buban helped the Cardinals stay within striking distance. Buban recorded three consecutive kills as North Central pulled within 8-7, but the Bluejays answered with three straight points on their way to earning a 15-10 victory.
Buban led the Cardinals with 19 kills and 11 digs for her ninth double-double of the season. Harvey posted a double-double of her own with 38 assists and 18 digs, while Hoff added 13 kills and a career-high six aces. Schrementi recorded 3.5 blocks as North Central finished with a .164 hitting percentage compared to Elmhurst's .229 mark.
The Cardinals have secured a spot in the CCIW Tournament and will return to R.A. Faganel Hall Tuesday for a rematch with Elmhurst.
