MADISON, Wis. – The Edgewood College Eagles hosted a Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) battle at the Todd Wehr Edgedome Tuesday night. They hosted the St. Norbert Green Knights in a matchup between two NACC Tournament squads from the 2022 season. The Eagles (6-4, 2-0 NACC) were up to the task, downing the Green Knights in a hard-fought 3-1 (25-23, 24-26, 25-15, 25-22) victory.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Neither team ceded much ground in the opening volleys of the match. Back-to-back kills by St. Norbert gave them the first three-point lead of the affair at 12-9. The offense and defense clicked for Edgewood College in a 4-1 sprint to tie things back up. A back and forth ensued in the tightly contested first match, neither team leading by more than a point until a 3-0 run that featured offense and defense from the Eagles put them ahead 1-0.
- The Green Knights got the jump in set two, with two kills and a pair of blocks fueling a 5-0 rally for a 10-5 advantage. Edgewood College dug out of the hole slowly, but three unanswered with a pair of kills and a block put them up 19-18 late. The Eagles would lead 22-20, but St. Norbert had the last laugh in the set with a 5-1 sprint to even the match.
- Momentum swung back to Edgewood College in the third set. A 9-2 volley put them squarely in pole position at 14-7 and they kept the pressure on their conference foes, closing the set on a 9-4 stretch run.
- The fourth set started with haymakers, the Green Knights posting a 5-1 run followed by a 6-1 Eagle rally for an 8-6 Edgewood College edge early. A 9-3 sprint from the visitors put Edgewood College in a 17-12 hole and seemingly destined for a fifth set. The Eagles would find another gear with an 8-3 rally to even the set at 20-20. Offense and defense clicked alike in the waning moments of the set, with a pair of blocks and three kills making up a 5-1 rally to close the book on the match.
- Edgewood College's offense proved to be the deciding factor, holding a 53-39 advantage in kills, 50-37 aces, and .252 to .108 hitting percentage.
- The offense showcased its depth on the night, with five players tallying seven or more kills.
Ashley Bruehlman continued to shine with a 16-kill, 14-dig double-double.
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Zoee Pond excelled with 10 kills and a .421 hitting percentage on 19 swings.
Abbey Falk and
Hannah Clark each had four blocks, with Falk adding in nine kills on a .474 hitting percentage.
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Jennacy Wille tallied 21 digs.
Abbey Eivins had 24 assists and
Abigail Hoffmann 20, with Hoffmann adding in seven kills and nine digs.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- Clark and Pond both had nights to remember. Clark's four digs and four blocks were both career bests, while Pond's 10 kills were also her new best.
- The Eagles won back-to-back matches for the first time all season and have won three of their last four.
- Edgewood College has won back-to-back over St. Norbert, who hold the series lead 19-9.
UP NEXT
- The Eagles hit the road for their first of six in a row away from home on Friday. They battle with the UW-La Crosse Eagles and the Loras Duhawks in a tri-match. Edgewood College is 2-14 against UW-La Crosse and 4-6 against the Duhawks.
