Green Knights Tip Illinois College In Tense Five-Set Affair

From Asst. AD/Athletics Communications, October 4, 2019 | Women's Volleyball
by Dan Lukes, dan.lukes@snc.edu, (920) 403-4077

JACKSONVILLE, Ill. - St. Norbert College trailed after three sets but marshaled resolve down the stretch to post a key 3-2 win over Illinois College in a Midwest Conference match at Sherman Gym. The Green Knights topped the Lady Blues 22-25, 26-24, 22-25, 25-21, 15-6.

After losing the first set, St. Norbert (13-6, 3-0 MWC) jumped out to a 7-1 lead in the second set only to see the Lady Blues (11-4, 3-1) go on a 9-1 run to take a 10-8 lead. The Green Knights then trailed 23-21 before scoring three straight points leading to a 24-24 score. A pair of Lexie Van Hiel kills closed out the win in the pivotal second set.

The fourth set was close throughout, with the score last tied at 20-20. Kills by Jessica Geurts and Grace Baumann in addition to a pair of Illinois College hitting errors pushed St. Norbert out to a 24-20 lead and control of the set.

Illinois College led the fifth set 2-1 before the Green Knights rattled off seven consecutive points, with Van Hiel getting two kills and Colleen DeLisle a service ace in the run. The Lady Blues would get back to within four points, the last time at 9-5, but St. Norbert scored five straight points to take a 14-5 lead and take the mystery out of the final outcome.

St. Norbert hit .283 for the match, with 76 kills and 22 errors in 191 attempts. The 76 kills is the most since the Green Knights registered 77 against Benedictine University on Oct. 28, 2006. St. Norbert's total of 71 assists is the most in the last 15 seasons.

Five players reached double-digit kill totals - Van Hiel with 19, Baumann with 17, Geurts with 14, Haley Bartz with 12 and Katelyn Hanrahan with 10. Emily Rohloff finished with a St. Norbert-record 65 assists.

Liz Maastricht totaled a team-high 30 digs, with Rohloff finishing with 19, Baumann 16, DeLisle 12 and Hanrahan 11.

Illinois College hit .192 (56-19-193), but only .095 (15-7-84) in the final two sets. Ali Pankey had a match-high 20 kills to lead the Lady Blues.