CHICAGO, Ill. -- The No. 21-ranked North Park Women's Volleyball team played their heart out in a Friday night Homecoming match against the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire Blugolds. Unfortunately, the Vikings came up just short in a five-set loss (23-25, 25-221, 20-25, 15-17).

North Park's numbers in the opening set were better than Eau Claire's in just about every category. The Vikings hit .237 with 15 kills, 17 digs, and two blocks. Six of those kills came from senior outside hitter Adriana Rodriguez. Compare that to the Blugolds' .171, 11, 17, and one. However, the service game hurt the Vikings as six service errors spelled disaster.

However, things turned around in the second set thanks to significant contributions from senior setter Mary Kate Giesen and senior opposite hitter Kharlie Simeona-French. Simeona-French, who was a spark plug all night long for NPU, drove four kills in five chances without an error (.800 ATK%) while Giesen added eight assists. The Vikings also had a big-time solo block from freshman outside hitter Payton Smith, who set a career high with 12 kills.

North Park kept up the pace in the third set, hitting .265 with a dozen kills - four by Simeona-French and four from Rodriguez. However, the Blugolds broke through with a .394 / 16 mark as UWEC junior rightside hitter Bailey Leeke piled on six kills in the set to put the Blugolds a set away from victory.

However, North Park's offense posted its highest kills total in the fourth set (17), to force a fifth set. In the pivotal fourth set, Smith contributed five kills, Rodriguez added four, and sophomore middle blocker Meg Rothermel led all players on both sides with six.

Things weren't looking good to start the final set of the night. Two North Park attacking errors and back-to-back kills by Leeke put the Blugolds in the driver's seat with a 4-0 advantage. However, the Vikings weren't ready to turn it in. They would first tie the set at 9-9 on kills from Smith, Rothermel, and Rodriguez before the Blugolds nearly closed out the match by taking five of the next six points. Thanks to three-straight kills by Rodriguez and a pivotal double block by senior middle blocker Rhianna Huebner and Giesen, North Park would tie things up, 14-14.

Unfortunately, the final two points of the night were surrendered on NPU errors as the Blugolds escaped with a narrow 17-15 win in the fifth set.

Quick Hits:

• Giesen establishes a career high with 51 assists and 17 digs for her first career double-double
• Smith's 12 kills are also a career mark
• Rodriguez and Leeke led the match with 22 kills each while Rodriguez secured a double-double with 17 digs
• Simeona-French joins Rodriguez and Giesen for a double-double - 13 kills and 11 digs while hitting .357 
• Rothermel hits .360 with 11 kills and three blocks
• Match-leading 21 digs for junior libero Carolina Aviles

What's Next?

North Park (10-7, 1-3 CCIW) stays away from CCIW action tomorrow, Oct. 12, with a trip to the campus of University of Wisconsin - Whitewater. First serve against the No. 5-ranked Warhawks is set for 6:00 PM CT in Kris Russell Volleyball Arena.