Green Knights are Runner-Up at Elmhurst Tournament

From Sports Information Director, October 25, 2008 | Women's Volleyball
by Dan Lukes, dan.lukes@snc.edu, (920) 403-4077

ELMHURST, Ill. - The St. Norbert College women's volleyball team posted another strong weekend with a second-place finish at the Elmhurst College Tournament at Faganel Hall.

The Green Knights, now 26-3 overall, went 3-1 in the tournament while facing three opponents from the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin. Elmhurst tipped St. Norbert in five sets to claim the championship in the tournament's final match.

St. Norbert opened the tournament with a four-set win over Wheaton College, dissipating the Thunder by scores of 25-23, 25-13, 21-25, 25-19. Joanna Mamayek had 13 kills with three errors in 21 attempts along with four solo blocks. Sarah Sulentic added 11 kills in 21 attempts against three errors and had three total blocks. Libero Kim Angst had 20 digs, while Laura Ayello posted 30 assists. The Green Knights hit .179 in the match.

The Green Knights then had their lone three-set win of the tournament beating Judson University 25-12, 25-21, 25-20. Sulentic had 11 kills and Mamayek 10 to lead an offense that hit .274. Ayello had 26 assists, while Angst had 17 digs. Sulentic had a team-high five blocks.

St. Norbert then played North Central College for the third time this season. The Green Knights topped the regionally ranked Cardinals for the second time this season despite falling behind 22-25, 24-26, 25-20, 25-11, 15-5. Mamayek had 15 kills against one error in 38 attempts. Sam Jungbluth added 13 kills and Katie Casebolt 12. Mamayek had six blocks with St. Norbert totaling 13 for the match. Angst had 20 digs, while Casebolt added 13 digs and Courtney Stephenson 11. Casebolt also had four solo blocks.

Elmhurst, also a regionally ranked foe, topped St. Norbert for the second time this season by staging a rally of its own. The Bluejays fell behind 2-0 before coming back for a 26-28, 26-28, 25-21, 29-27, 15-11 win. The Green Knights had four players post double-digit kills - Mamayek and Casebolt with 12 each, Sulentic with 11 and Jungbluth with 10. St. Norbert had 101 digs for the match, while Casebolt totaling 25, Angst 21 and Amy Perszyk 20. Ayello had 28 assists and Perszyk 25. Casebolt had 11 blocks.