Volleyball Splits Against Stiff Competition
Sep 14, 2019
Box Score vs. Chicago Box Score vs. North Park
CHICAGO, Ill. - The University of Dubuque volleyball team traveled to Chicago for a pair of matches on Saturday, upending North Park in straight sets and falling to #8 Chicago, 3-1.
UD opened the day with a rematch of their opponent from the 2018 NCAA Tournament in the University of Chicago, who was ranked eighth in the latest AVCA poll. The Spartans would fall in a quick hole, dropping the first two sets 17-25 and 20-25 but they would continue to battle. In the third set, neither team would lead by more than three points, with UD holding the largest lead at 13-10. The two teams would continue to exchange rallies and would be tied at 25 all to force extra action. With the set tied at 29 all, UD would force a Chicago attack error and Grace Hintze finally ended the marathon set with a kill off of an assist from Kate Messino to take the third set, 31-29.
UD would carry that momentum over to the beginning of the fourth set, jumping out to a 4-0 lead. With the Spartans leading 15-13, the eigth ranked team would go on a run, scoring six straight point to vault ahead 19-13 and the Spartans would never be able to get closer than three points again, falling 20-25.
Amercian Rivers Conference MVP led the Spartan offense with a team-high 17 kills against Chicago and a kill percentage of .159. Grace Hintze was the only other Spartan to reach double figures in kills with 12, while Rylee Andresen and Shauna McAleer each finished with nine.
The UD back end procuded 105 digs in the opening match, with Grace Strawser coming in with 25 and Kara Wright and Hanna Horsfield finishing with 23 and 21, respecitvely.
It was an overall offensive attack in the nightcap for the Spartans with nine different players having at least one kill. Kara Wright once again led the way with a team-high 13, she was the only one to reach double figures in that category.
The UD attack improved their hitting percentage each set, beginning with a first set of .211 and ending with .393 in the third for a game total of .259. The Spartans had five total team blocks, led by Rylee Andresen who had three assists and two solos.
The Spartans begin American Rivers Conference action on Wednesday when they travel to Cedar Rapids to take on Coe College at 7:30 p.m.
