DE PERE, WIS. – The Edgewood College Eagles women's volleyball squad returned to Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) action Wednesday night. They headed up north for a showdown with the St. Norbert Green Knights. The Eagles (5-8, 2-0 NACC) emerged victorious in a 3-2 (25-21, 23-25, 21-25, 25-21, 15-12) battle versus the Green Knights (7-10, 1-1).
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The two teams started out the first set neck and neck, but a 9-2 burst featuring three straight kills from
Abigail Hoffmann sent Edgewood College flying ahead to a 20-13 advantage they would not relinquish.
- The Eagles rolled through the opening salvos of set two, leading 8-1 after a string of five kills in a row. St. Norbert roared to life late in the set. Down 17-8, they exploded for a 15-6 rally to tie the set at an even 23-23. They would even the match on a string of four points in a row.
- Edgewood College would jump out to a 10-6 lead in the third set as momentum seemed to fall back in their favor. The Green Knights would once again gradually wrestle control of the set back in their favor, grinding out a 12-6 stretch for a 18-16 advantage late. The Eagles would struggle with errors and in the service game down the stretch as St. Norbert pulled ahead in the match.
- Three-straight blocks, all featuring
Payton Millin, would put Edgewood College back on the right track at 6-1 in the fourth set. Offense and defense took over for the Eagles in the middle of the set as they went on a 6-2 run with three kills and two blocks for a 14-8 advantage. St. Norbert would claw their way back within 22-19, but Edgewood College slammed the door shut on their late momentum with a 3-2 finish to force a tiebreaker set.
- A kill from Millin and a Green Knight error would leave the Eagles ahead 3-1 in the decisive fifth set. Mistakes would help St. Norbert battle back to a 6-6 tie, but the Edgewood College blockers brought momentum back in their favor with two blocks fueling four points in a row for a 10-6 lead. Two kills and an ace would push the Green Knights within one, and the match hung in the balance with a 12-11 Eagles edge. A key attack error would put Edgewood College ahead two, and they would finish the set and match off with a Millin/Hoffmann block and a
Katie Borchert kill.
- Hoffmann tallied 12 kills, 17 assists, four blocks, and eight digs in the victory for a double-double.
- Borchert finished the match with 10 kills on a .381 hitting percentage off of 21 attempts, as well as four blocks.
Zoee Pond also contributed seven kills and four blocks.
- Millin excelled, leading the team and match with nine blocks.
- Spies recorded 15 kills and 17 digs for a double-double of her own.
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Abbey Eivins anchored the offense with 30 assists, while Hinkamper led the back line with 17 digs and also paced the team with three aces.
- Alyssa Mills and Alli Clark each posted a team-high 14 kills for St. Norbert.
- Heidi Colburn tallied an impressive 47 assists, while Kara Sowinski added 20 digs.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- The Eagles have won four straight over the Green Knights.
- Spies' 17 digs are a personal best with Edgewood College.
- Eivins' 30 assists were a new high watermark with the Eagles.
- Millin's nine blocks were a career best.
UP NEXT
Edgewood College returns to the Todd Wehr Edgedome for Homecoming Saturday. They will take on the Loras Duhawks and UW-La Crosse Eagles in a tri-match. First serve is scheduled for noon.
