Thanks to Virginia Smith for the pictures
CHICAGO, Ill. – The North Park women's volleyball team came up just a hair short Tuesday night against Elmhurst University in a thrilling five set duel. Despite the overall margin falling the Vikings favor with a 110-93 advantage, North Park could not get the critical points when they needed them, and lost 3-2 (22-25, 26-24, 25-23, 5-25, 15-13). North Park set a season high with 18 aces.
The Vikings were behind 22-17 late in the first set when a smartly-used timeout by head coach Michael Sopocy kicked NPU back into gear. After a service error from Elmhurst, Kharlie Simeona-French would retain serve for the hosts the remainder of the set. Three blocks from Taylor Guy (two of them assisted by Christina Gatta), and two aces from Simeona-French would spur the Vikings to score the final eight points and win the set 25-22.
North Park held firm with the Bluejays through the next two sets, but the road squad squeaked out two narrow set wins by the scores of 26-24 and 25-23. The fourth set was all Vikings as Gatta stampeded the Bluejays out of the gates, getting NPU out to a 9-0 lead with the help of two aces. The Bluejays finally cracked the goose egg with a kill, only to be followed by a run of 11 straight points with Adriana Rodriguez serving. She had three aces over that time to send the Vikings up 20-1. The teams exchanged a few points before a kill and an ace by Shamyia Collier put NPU on the cusp, and a finishing slam from Olivia Robertson grabbed set point for North Park in the dominating 25-5 set win.
Set five was just as thrilling as the first four sets with North Park building a 10-7 lead on a Taylor Guy kill before the Bluejays answered with four straight to take a one point lead. Despite a valiant effort to fight off the match point for Elmhurst, EU eventually landed the finishing blow to win the final frame 15-13.
Quick Hits:
- North Park has taken at least one set in every CCIW game this year, and the last five conference matchups for the Vikings have gone all the way to five sets.
- Adriana Rodriguez had nine aces, the most by any Viking in a single match all season, to go along with her 16 digs, 14 kills, and 3 assists.
- Christina Gatta wasn't far behind with three aces, to add to her 40 assists, and 17 digs.
- Kharlie Simeona-French was another Viking standout, 16 digs and 11 kills.
- Shamyia Collier totaled 10 kills in three sets worth of action.
What's Next?
The Vikings (14-10, 1-5 CCIW) finish their home slate on Saturday, October 23rd when they host the Pioneers of Carroll University (6-16, 0-5 CCIW). That match will start at 3 PM.
