CHICAGO, Ill. -- The North Park University women's volleyball team came back from an early deficit to defeat the UW-Platteville Pioneers, 3-1, inside the North Park Gym on Tuesday.
The Vikings started the first set scoring four of the first five points making the score 4-1. After the Pioneers marked the next three points, the Vikings roared back with three of their own highlighted by a kill from freshman Kailyn Matthews to put NPU up, 7-4. Unfortunately, the Pioneers grabbed six of the next seven points to go up 10-8 The Vikings then tied the match at 10, but only managed four more points as the Pioneers took the first set 25-14.
End of Set One: UW-Platteville 25, North Park 14
The Vikings started the way they began the first set, winning four of the first five points highlighted by kills from senior Reagan Clement and freshman Emily Nytko. With a 10-7 lead, the Vikings rattled off four-straight points - driven by a kill from sophomore Kate Widman - making the score 14-7. With the score 17-11, the Pioneers marked five-straight points and came within one at 17-16. North Park then marked three consecutive points on two kills by Matthews and service error.
However, the Pioneers scored five of the next six points to tie the Vikings at 21. With the Vikings and Pioneers trading the next eight points, North Park tallied three of the next four points to defeat the Pioneers, 27-25, in set two. Clement led the Vikings with seven kills through two sets.
End of Set Two: North Park 27, UW-Platteville 25
The Vikings came out firing in the third set marking eight of the first 12 points to hold an early 8-4 lead. Senior Kajsa Meyer, Clement, and Matthews all marked kills and freshman Margaret Roou picked up a service ace. After the Pioneers and Vikings traded the next four points, UW-Platteville scored four-straight points to bring the Pioneers within one at 10-9. After a timeout called by North Park when the Pioneers took a 14-13, the Vikings scored four of the next six points to move ahead, 17-16.
The Pioneers only could muster five more points as the Vikings took the third set, 25-21. Clement still led the Vikings with 13 kills in three sets and Matthews followed with eight kills.
End of Set Three: North Park 25, UW-Platteville 21
In the fourth set, the Pioneers led 7-5 until the Vikings drove four-consecutive points to go up 9-7 After the Vikings went up 11-8, the Pioneers drove three-straight points to tie the match at 11 and grab an eventual 16-14 lead after tallying five of the next nine points.
Thankfully, the Vikings went on a roll marking eight of the next 11 points, highlighted by two kills from senior Niki Ahlstrand and Matthews as the Vikings took the fourth and final set of the match, 25-19.
End of the Fourth Set/Match: North Park 25, UW-Platteville 19
Quick Hits:
- Clement set a new season-high with 14 kills
- Matthews followed with 10 kills
- Freshman Christina Gatta totaled 20 assists while Meyer had 16
- Junior Bianca Tomuta notched 23 digs
What's Next?
The Vikings (8-9, 0-2 CCIW) continue their non-conference stretch with a match against the Eagles of Benedictine University at the North Park Gym on Wednesday, October 2. The match is set for 7 p.m.
--NPU--
