ELMHURST, Ill. -- In a dramatic start to the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) season, North Park University Women's Volleyball edged the Elmhurst University Bluejays in a five-set battle (25-18, 20-25, 11-25, 25-17, 15-9) at R.A. Faganel Hall. The Vikings
The Vikings (11-2, 1-0 CCIW) came out strong in the opening set, capitalizing on a six-ace performance as a team and a late 7-2 scoring run to take the opening frame 25-18. Senior libero Carolina Aviles and senior middle blocker Kharlie Simeona-French led the charge from the service line, while junior middle blocker Meg Rothermel anchored the net defense.
Momentum shifted in sets two and three as Elmhurst (4-8, 0-1 CCIW) found its rhythm. The Bluejays hit .533 in the second and .382 in the third, with Blair Johnson and Paige Belfield combining for 27 kills across the match. Elmhurst dominated the third set 25-11, putting North Park on its heels as the Vikings needed to rebound in the fourth set.
The Vikings responded with resilience in the fourth. Junior setter Kendal Britton sparked a 7-0 run midway through the set, including two service aces and multiple assists to senior outside hitter Shamyia Collier and Simeona-French. North Park's defense tightened, holding Elmhurst to a .029 hitting percentage and forcing key errors to power their comeback.
In the decisive fifth set, North Park jumped out to a 6-2 lead behind Aviles' back-to-back aces and never looked back. Rothermel and Simeona-French delivered clutch kills, and the Vikings closed the match on a 5-0 run to seal the 15-9 victory.
North Park finished with 46 kills, 13 aces, and 5 team blocks, while Elmhurst posted 53 kills and 7 aces. The Vikings finished the night with a blistering .727 hitting percentage in the fifth set, driving 9 kills with just one error.
Top Performers - North Park
- Kharlie Simeona-French – 10 kills (.273), 4 aces, 7 digs, 14.5 points
- Shamyia Collier – 13 kills (.098), 13.5 points
- Meg Rothermel – 8 kills (.304), 5 blocks, 12.0 points
- Kendal Britton – 35 assists, 3 aces, 6 digs, 6.0 points
- Carolina Aviles – 4 aces, 18 digs, 5.0 points
- Riana Hayes – 8 kills (.462), 8.0 points
What's Next?
North Park stays on the road for a match with Benedictine University (4-7) on Thursday, September 18. First serve at Dan and Ada Rice Center is set for 7:00 PM CT.
