Green Knights Split Matches to Finish Road Trip 2-1

From Asst. AD/Athletics Communications, February 15, 2020 | Men's Volleyball
by Dan Lukes, dan.lukes@snc.edu, (920) 403-4077

DECATUR, Ill. - St. Norbert College split a pair of non-conference matches, losing to North Central College 3-0 before defeating Millikin University 3-1 at Millikin's Griswold Physical Education Center.

The Green Knights, now 3-9 overall and 3-5 against NCAA Division III competition, fell to North Central 25-9, 25-19, 25-17 before bouncing back to defeat Millikin 26-24, 22-25, 25-23, 25-15.

St. Norbert held a six-point lead at 16-10 in the first set against Millikin before hanging on for the win. Sean Loughney had three kills during the stretch the Green Knights built their lead. The Green Knights led 22-18 before the Big Blue knotted the score at 24-24, but Jake Krueger converted a pair of kills to close out the set. St. Norbert had a 19-16 lead in the second set but Millikin closed on a 9-3 run to square the match.

In the third set, the match was tied 19-19 before St. Norbert scored four of the next five points to take a 23-20 lead, getting kills from Krueger and Josh Hauke. Millikin tied the set 23-23 but an attacking error and a Loughney kill put St. Norbert ahead 2-1. St. Norbert jumped out to a 4-1 lead in the fourth set behind a pair of Eddie Pacula service aces. The Green Knights eventually opened up a 14-8 lead and never led by less than three points the rest of the set.

Loughney registered a match-high 16 kills, with Krueger adding nine and Hauke eight. The Green Knights hit .163 for the match, getting 46 kills and 25 errors in 129 attacks. Ben Rinella had 21 assists and Pacula added 18.

Hauke and Morgan Wilson had three blocks apiece. Hauke finished with 14 digs and Brent Hatfield added 12.

St. Norbert ran into a strong North Central outfit in the opener, with the Cardinals hitting .357 (41-11-84) in the match. Loughney and Krueger had six kills apiece for the Green Knights, who hit .125 (24-14-80). Pacula had 16 assists, while Wilson had two blocks.