Box Score

NAC Volleyball Tournament

MADISON, Wis. - A crowded house at the Todd Wehr Edgedome learned what regular fans of the Edgewood College volleyball team already knew. A match with Eagles is never over until it's over and it's never boring. Hosting their first postseason match in 15 years, Edgewood College rallied from a 2-0 deficit to steal a 3-2 Northern Athletics Conference Tournament quarterfinal victory from Marian University.

Marian University (10-22) controlled the ball well and committed just eight errors in the first two sets. The sixth-seeded Sabres five aces and three blocks on their way to25-19 and 25-18 victories. Erika Heberer and Carlie Kinsey did much of the damage, combining for 13 kills in the first two sets.

Meanwhile, third-seeded Edgewood College (19-13) looked like the underdog in the first two sets. The Eagles committed 16 errors and hit just .090 in the opening two sets. More frustrating were the seven service errors, including five in the second set alone.

However, the world turned after the intermission. Playing a with renewed focus, the Eagles burst from the gate taking a 12-6 lead, in part due to Palmer's five kills in the first part of the third set. Edgewood College cruised to the third set victory 25-14 as Jessica Martin and Kristin Manske closed the set with kills.

As electrifying as the Eagles' season has been, the fourth set may go down as the peak of excitement. Sam Himmelspach served the first four points of the set and the Eagles opened up a fast 10-2 lead. Before Edgewood College could think about a fifth set, the Sabres roared back into the match. With the Eagles leading 17-14, Heberer delivered three straight kills, followed by three straight blocks. Elizabeth Zutz and Michielah Navis teamed up for the first and last and Zutz scored a solo block in the middle. Eventually, the Sabres had pulled out to a 22-18 lead and were three points away from pulling the upset.

Edgewood College head coach Paul Schlomer called timeout and dialed up Palmer's number. Palmer scored back-to-back kills and Manske added one of her own to trim the Sabres' lead to 22-21. After a kill for Marian's Heberer, Palmer and Manske struck again to tie the match at 23-23 and bring the entire Edgedome crowd to their feet. Kaitlin Jarvis scored a kill for Marian to give them the first match point of the night, but teammate Kinsey hit wide on the next point to even the set at 24. The teams traded points again to make the score 25-25, before a Sabre service error gave the Eagles a chance to even the match at two sets apiece. Aryn Wellnitz delivered the Eagles to a fifth set with her second kill of the night.

The deciding set was all Eagles from the start. Marian University committed four error on the first five points to give Edgewood College a 4-1 lead. Later, Himmelspach served three straight point, including an ace for an 11-5 lead. Finally, it was Palmer closing out the match be rocketing her 21st kill of the night off a Sabre block and out-of-bounds. The Eagles did not commit an error in the fifth set.

Palmer finished with 21 kills and 21 digs to match her jersey number. The performance was her third straight and seventh 20-kill match of the season, as well as her 10th double-double of the year. Martin established or tied a career-high in kills for the third straight match with a new high of 15. She also had a career-high with 15 digs. Wedvick added 12 kills and a team-high three blocks. Senior Kim Lueck was all over the court, recording a team-best 27 digs and delivering four service aces. Freshman setter Lindsey Swansby finished with 54 assists and 16 digs, while Himmelspach chipped in 10 digs. Edgewood College hit .235 in the final three sets and .178 for the match.

Edgewood College advances to meet second-seeded Dominican University on Thursday night in River Forest, Ill. Due to eighth-seeded Maranatha Baptist's stunning 3-1 upset of NAC champion Concordia University Wisconsin, the winner of that match will host the NAC Tournament Championship match on Saturday night. Dominican will broadcast Thursday's match live on the internet. Check EdgewoodCollegeEagles.com for the necessary links.