Volleyball Gets Two Wins to Start Weekend
Oct 12, 2018
Box Score vs North Park Box Score vs Kalamazoo
CHICAGO, Ill. – The University of Dubuque volleyball team had a productive Friday afternoon, going 2-0 at the North Park Triangular, defeating North Park 3-2 and Kalamazoo 3-1.
Dubuque, Univ. of (3) 23 25 23 25 15 (14-7)
North Park (2) 25 23 25 19 10 (14-8)
The Spartans opened the triangular against the host North Park, and fell behind five points in the early in the opening set and could never quite recover. They would cut the set deficit to one point, three different times but could never tie it up and the Vikings jumped ahead 1-0. The second set was a back and forth battle that was tied at seven different points but North Park built their biggest lead of the set at 20-17. The Spartans clawed their way back, scoring four of the next five to tie it up before North regained the lead at 23-22. The Spartans then rattled off three straight points to take set two and even up the match at one set all.
UD held a 19-14 lead late in the third set, however North Park stormed back to take the set 25-23 to move ahead 2-1. The fourth set was very similar to the previous three sets, a tight battle, with both teams exchanging leads various times throughout the set. The Spartans regained the lead for good when the Vikings had a service error to put UD ahead 19-18 and go on to score seven of the final eight points to force a winner take all fifth set. In the fifth, the Vikings jumped out to a 5-2 lead but two kills from Rylee Andresen and a North Park attack error quickly evened the score at five. The teams were then tied at six, seven, eight and nine all before the Spartans scored five straight points behind the serve of Kate Messino. The Spartans would then finish off the Vikings with the help of another Viking service error to take the set 15-10 and complete the comeback.
Rylee Andresen and Kara Wright powered the offensive attack, combining for 36 kills against the Vikings. Kate Messino pitched in 46 of UD’s 54 assists and Jenna Runde held down the back end with 21 digs.
Kalamazoo College (1) 25 12 9 19 (3-17 )
Dubuque, Univ. of (3) 23 25 25 25 (15-7)
After a tiring five set, comeback win just minutes early, the Spartans started off the match against 3-17 Kalamazoo a little sluggish, dropping the first set 25-23. However, the Spartans would rebound and quickly took over the match. The Spartans would take set two and three by a combined score of 50-21, while limiting Kalamazoo to hitting percentages of .067 and -.083 in those two sets.
The third set was much more competitive like the first set. With the Spartans trailing 10-8, Kalamazoo committed a service error before UD scored seven straight points behind the serve of Kara Wright to take a commanding 16-10 lead. Kalamazoo had one last push in them, getting the Spartan lead down to just two at 19-17 but UD put them away with little drama, scoring six of the last eight points.
For the match as a team, UD hit a staggering .355 and were .393 or better in all sets but the first. Kara Wright lead UD with 20 kills, Issy Cleary was not far behind with 13 on 25 attempts. The Spartans had nine service aces against Kalamazoo, three from Kate Messino and two from Kara Wright and Bre Cullen each. UD was a force at the net on defense, coming up with nine total team blocks, three solos and 12 assists.
Up Next
UD stays in the Chicagoland area to play Wheaton and Milikin at Wheaton College on Saturday at 2:00 and 4:00, respectively.
