MADISON, Wis. – The Edgewood College Eagles women's volleyball squad continued their stay at the Todd Wehr Edgedome Thursday. They faced yet another team atop the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) standings as they hosted the Aurora Spartans. The Eagles (14-5, 7-0 NACC) emerged as the lone unbeaten team in the NACC, taking down the Spartans (13-9, 6-1) in a 3-2 (25-18, 22-25, 18-25, 25-18, 15-11) match fought to the bitter end.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Edgewood College had control early in the match, as Aurora errors fueled a 7-2 rally for a 11-5 advantage. A 7-3 reply from the Spartans pushed them within 16-14, but the Eagles finished on a tear with seven kills in a 9-4 stretch.

- Neither team held much of an advantage until a pair of aces from Hannah Joseph gave Aurora a 14-11 lead in set two. A 7-2 reply with the Edgewood College offense clicking flipped the script for a 18-16 lead. The Spartans would finish the set with the hot hand, a 9-4 rally evening the match.
 
- The Aurora offense coupled with Eagles mistakes put Edgewood College in a 7-1 hole early in the third set. They would not get closer than three points in the frame as the Spartans claimed a 2-1 match advantage.
 
- The Eagles flipped the script in one of their best sets of the season, starting the fourth set on a furious 12-4 barrage as offense and defense worked in sync to bury the Spartans. Aurora would struggle to gain any ground, much like Edgewood College in frame three, and the Eagles went to a final decisive set with a 25-18 victory.
 
- The Eagles seemingly left little room for doubt with an 8-3 start to the tiebreaker set as the teams flipped courts. Momentum switched with the courts, however, as the Spartans mounted a furious 6-1 comeback to even the set and match. Tied 10-10, a crucial block from Hannah Clark and Zoee Pond sparked a 5-1 finish to the set and match in Edgewood College's favor.
   
- While the two squads were in a virtual dead heat in almost every major statistical category, the keys for the Eagles on the night was a .195 to .150 lead in hitting percentage and a 9-to-6 block edge.
 
- Four Edgewood College hitters tallied at least nine kills. Ashley Bruehlman led the way with 14 and earned a double-double with 15 digs as well as three aces, a team high.
 
- Katie Borchert tallied 13 kills and a .344 hitting percentage on offense and Jennacy Wille 21 digs as she anchored the defense.
 
- Abigail Hoffmann continued to excel at everything. She finished with a 12-kill, 24-assist double-double and added on three blocks while holding serve on several long rallies.
 

 
- Abbey Eivins ran the offense and pitched in with the defense for a 21-assist, 14-dig double-double.
 
- Abbey Falk added onto her strong performances from the weekend with nine kills and four blocks, as well as a .563 hitting percentage on 16 attacks.
 
- Clark finished with four blocks of her own in crucial spots.
 
- Hannah Joseph seemingly could do no wrong as Aurora's setter, with 45 assists and 14 digs. Lulu Torres and Kate Poellmann finished with 18 and 15 kills respectively.
 
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- The victory snapped an eight-match losing streak to the Spartans, who had also won their last 14 matches in a row against NACC opponents.
 
- Edgewood College has won 10 of their last 11 matches as they continue to play strong down the stretch.
 
- Clark's four blocks tied her career best as she continues to contribute meaningful points.

- Eivins' 14 digs were a new benchmark in the young setter's career.
 
- The Eagles stand alone atop the NACC after the contest as the lone unbeaten team at 7-0.

UP NEXT
Edgewood College look to keep their perfect mark in conference play as they hit the road Saturday. They travel to Plymouth, Wis. to face the Lakeland Muskies. First serve is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. in a series the Muskies lead 32-22, but the Eagles have won back-to-batch matches against their conference foes.