NAPERVILLE, Ill. – The North Park men's volleyball team gave the 8th-ranked North Central Cardinals a second-set scare on Thursday night inside Gregory Arena, but the host Cardinals wound up victorious in four sets (21-25, 25-21, 19-25, 19-25).
North Central, who finished the 2023 season as the Division III National Runner-Up, was nearly perfect in the opening set. The Cardinals hit .385 with a pair of blocks and aces while committing just one attack error. North Park struggled in the opener, hitting a flat .000 with eight errors. However, the Vikings didn't just roll over.
In the second set, North Central regained control by pulling ahead 8-4 thanks to a pair of blocks by the Cardinals' Jared Moser and Tyler Donovan and a kill by Moser. North Park, with needed urgency, went on to steal seven of the next ten points, tying the match at 11-11.
To get there, North Park had some help from a Cardinal service and attack error while NPU outside hitters Ty Ingrao and Pablo Ocasio added kills. Vicente Cabrera marked the first set-tier with a service ace before a set error from the Cardinals gave NPU a 12-11 lead. The set would feature five more ties before the Vikings broke free for good. With the score tied at 16-16 Cabrera drove a pair of kills while junior middle blocker added one of his own. Cabrera would ace the Vikings out of a timeout, forcing the Cardinals to call another one. North Central got within a point, 22-21, but two NCC attack errors and a kill by Ocasio showcased a split match as North Park took set two 25-21.
Unfortunately, despite improved hitting percentages in every set (.000, .121, .286, .333) North Park dropped the next two sets, both with scores of 25-19.
Quick Hits:
- North Central's Moser was the kills leader, marking 14 in 35 attacks
- Ingrao wasn't far behind, totaling 13 on 36 attacks
- 35 assists and five kills for senior setter Teddy Gedville
- Eight kills each for Cabrera and Ocasio
- A dozen digs for senior libero Kaleb Patrick
- Cardinals hit .316 with six blocks
What's Next?
North Park (3-11, 0-1 CCIW) has a lot of off time before continuing their conference schedule next Saturday, March 2, at Illinois Wesleyan University. First serve at the Shirk Center is set for 1:00 PM CT.
