CHICAGO, Ill. -- In a match that had early signs of a short night, North Park University Women's Volleyball nearly authored a reverse sweep against the No.21-ranked University of Dubuque before falling 3-2 (10-25, 21-25, 25-14, 25-16, 14-16) Friday night at Carlson Gymnasium.
After dropping the first two sets, North Park flipped the script with a dominant third set, sparked by a serving surge and relentless front-row play. The Vikings' serving game was pivotal, tallying 10 aces and keeping Dubuque out of whack for much of sets three and four. Junior outside hitter Rian Hobbs and freshman defensive specialist Tessa Wabiszewski each delivered clutch aces, while senior libero Carolina Aviles added three of her own, including one that capped a 6-0 run in the third set.
Scoring Surge Sparks Comeback
Sophpmore middle blocker Ivy Newville was a steady force at the net, notching six kills on 20 swings without an error (.300). Her third-set kill off a set from junior setter Kendal Britton gave North Park a 17-6 lead and sent the home crowd, that included area high school and club teams, into a frenzy. Newville added two blocks, including a key stuff in the fourth that halted a Dubuque rally.
Meg Rothermel was North Park's most efficient attacker, hammering 11 kills on 24 attempts (.375) and contributing eight blocks. Her back-to-back kills in the fourth set helped the Vikings pull away 25-16, forcing a decisive fifth.
Senior outside hitter Shamyia Collier came alive in the middle frames, finishing with 14 kills and three blocks. Her fifth-set kill tied the match at 9-9, and she added a block assist with Rothermel to give North Park a late lead.
Fifth Set Drama
The final frame saw eight ties and two lead changes. North Park led 14-13 after a kill from sophomore outside hitter Payton Smith, but Dubuque responded with three straight points, including a match-clinching kill from Halee Clare.
Despite the loss, North Park's serving game kept them competitive. The Vikings committed just four service errors while forcing six reception errors from Dubuque. Britton, Hobbs, and Aviles each served with precision, helping North Park win the sideout battle in sets three and four.
Top Performers
North Park
Dubuque
- Delainey Winkel – 20 kills, .302 hitting, 3 aces
- Payton Uptagraft – 10 kills, 3 blocks, .280 hitting
- Ashley Glennon – 24 digs, 7 kills
- Alexis Kammerer – 28 assists, 1 ace, 12 receptions
North Park (18-9, 2-4 CCIW) returns to conference play next week, beginning with a road match at Augustana College (11-12, 2-4 CCIW) on Wednesday, October 29. First serve at the Roy J. Carver Center is set for 6:30 PM CT.
