CHICAGO, Ill. -- North Park University's women's volleyball team opened strong, stumbled in the second set, then surged back to claim a 3-1 victory over Governors State (25-23, 16-25, 25-19, 25-22) Friday night at North Park Gymnasium for their Homecoming match.
The Vikings (16-3, 2-1 CCIW) set the tone early, taking the first set behind a balanced attack and timely defense. Senior outside hitter Shamyia Collier and junior middle blocker Meg Rothermel led the charge with key kills, while sophomore middle blocker Ivy Newville and sophomorre defensive specialist Cate Freeman added crucial digs. A late 5-0 run, capped by a Rothermel service ace and a Collier block, gave North Park the edge in a tightly contested opener.
Governors State responded with authority in the second set. The Jaguars opened with a 7-1 run, fueled by blocks from J. Barwicka and Talia Bonner and a service ace from M. Barr. North Park struggled to find rhythm, committing six attack errors and hitting just .098. Despite a few bright moments from Reynolds and Collier, the Vikings couldn't close the gap, falling 25-16.
The third set marked a turning point. North Park regrouped and found its rhythm behind senior outside hitter SaeAuna Reynolds, who tallied six kills in the frame and set a career high with 14 kills in the match. Collier added three kills and a service ace, while Britton's steady setting helped the Vikings build a 5-0 run to take control.
Rothermel's kill and ace late in the set capped a 25-19 win, shifting momentum firmly in North Park's favor.
The fourth set was a back-and-forth battle, featuring seven ties and three lead changes. Governors State again jumped ahead early, but North Park responded with a 7-1 run, highlighted by back-to-back service aces from Xenia Gonzales and a kill from Rothermel. Reynolds and Collier combined for five kills down the stretch, and with the score at 24-22, Collier delivered the match-winning kill off a Britton assist.
North Park finished with 52 kills, 8 aces, and 9 blocks, hitting .175 as a team. Britton dished out 50 assists, a career high. Freshman Tessa Wabiszewski was a steady presence throughout the match, and donned the libero jersey for the first time this season, leading all players with 21 digs and posting a perfect 1.000 reception percentage.
Top Performers
North Park
- Shamyia Collier – 17 kills, 3 blocks, 19.5 points
- 17 kills is a new career high for Collier
- SaeAuna Reynolds – 14 kills, .433 hitting
- 14 kills is a new career high for Reynolds
- Meg Rothermel – 10 kills, 5 blocks, 16.5 points
- Kendal Britton – 50 assists, 8 digs, 3 blocks
- Britton's 50 assists are a career high and the second-most in a four-set match for North Park
Governors State
- Gabi Bochert – 19 kills, 3 blocks, 20.5 points
- Talia Bonner – 15 kills, 14 digs, 17.0 points
- J. Barwicka – 9 kills, 5 blocks, 11.5 points
- D. McDonald – 4 kills, 3 blocks, 5.5 points
What's Next?
North Park has the weekend off and will next play on Wednesday, October 8, in a home match against North Central College (13-4, 2-0 CCIW). First serve against the Cardinals is set for 7:00 PM inside Carlson Gym.
