RIVER FOREST, Ill. – For the second-straight season the Dominican University Stars have ended the Edgewood College volleyball team's season and dashed the Eagles' hopes of securing an NCAA bid. The Eagles posted an impressive first set but couldn't contain Dominican's duo of Caitlen Foote and Carri Chambers and eventually fell by scores of 17-25, 25-20, 25-11, 25-21.
The Eagles, who were competing in their fourth-straight conference championship match, got out to an early 9-4 lead in the first set, but the Stars bounced back from the slow start to make it 11-10. The Eagles would then score 11 of the next 16 points to take a 22-15 lead and would close things out shortly after. Sarah Schuchhardt had three kills in four attacks and Savannah Koester also notched three kills to lead the Eagles. Edgewood College hit .250 in the set compared to just a .098 mark from the Stars.
The Eagles would have some catch-up to play in the second set, however, as the Stars raced out to a 7-3 lead early on. The Eagles would grind their way back to a 16-16 game before the Stars scored three-straight points. The Eagles would score three of the next five to make it 22-20 but it would be all Stars from there on out in the set. The Stars hit .289 in the set and were led by Kendyl Todd's four kills. Becca Fritz and Foote each had three kills in the set, as well. Jordan Winkler carried the Eagles in the set with five kills.
The Stars took control in set No. 3 by going on an eight-point streak to make it 17-7. The Eagles would muster just four more points in the set and Carri Chambers, who had 18 kills in 37 attacks in last season's championship match, came alive in the set and had six kills and a block.
The Eagles were down big early again in set four and the Stars led 17-10. The Eagles climbed to within four at 18-14, forcing the Stars to take a timeout. The Eagles would score the next two points to make it 18-16, but Foote, who had seven kills in the set, took over and sealed the deal for Dominican. She scored the next point to make it 19-16 in favor of the Stars and would record two more in the remainder of the match to give the Stars their second-straight NCAA bid.
Foote (17 kills, .325 attack percentage) and Chambers (17 kills, .389) led the Stars, while two other Dominican players posted at least seven kills and a .300 attack percentage in Becca Fritz and Todd. Winkler was the lone Eagle to reach double-digit kills and finished with 14 and a .333 attack percentage. Savannah Koester, Elizabeth Evans and Carley Reuter all finished with eight kills for the Eagles, while Rachel Tesch posted 18 digs.
The Eagles conclude the 2014 season with an overall record of 22-13, while Dominican improves to 24-11 and will await their position in the NCAA Tournament until the Selection Show on Monday, Nov. 10 at 10 am.
