CHICAGO, Ill. -- The North Park University women's volleyball team capped off its home schedule in dominant fashion Friday night, sweeping Moody Bible Institute 3-0 inside Carlson Gymnasium. The Vikings took the match by scores of 25-13, 25-17, and 25-16 while utilizing nearly their entire roster in the victory.
Junior outside hitter Maya Huelsman turned in one of her strongest performances of the season, leading North Park with 10 kills while hitting .429. Sophomore middle blocker Kayna Kanemoto matched Huelsman's impact with 10 kills of her own and added a block. Senior middle blocker Meg Rothermel chipped in eight kills, while senior setter Kendal Britton orchestrated the offense with 26 assists and three service aces.
Moody Bible stayed within striking distance early in the opening set as kills by Olivia Clem and Gabrielle Abadeer helped the Archers build a brief lead. North Park responded with an extended run fueled by kills from Huelsman, Rothermel, Ivy Newville, and Mercy Osayemi. Freshman outside hitter Jada Clark added a kill off the bench, while junior libero Carmella Rio served consecutive aces late in the frame as the Vikings cruised to a 25-13 set victory.
The Vikings continued to spread the floor in the second set while maintaining offensive efficiency. Kanemoto erupted for seven kills in the set, and freshman opposite hitter Gia Sylvestre contributed during a decisive North Park surge. Moody cut the deficit to one point midway through the set behind strong serving from Kianna Johnson, but back-to-back aces from Britton helped North Park regain momentum. Kills from Huelsman, Rothermel, Kanemoto, and Sylvestre pushed the Vikings to a 25-17 win and a two-set advantage.
Sophomore setter Hafsa Kalami and sophomore outside hitter Macarena Rodriguez stepped into larger roles in the second set as the Vikings rallied from an early deficit. Huelsman continued to lead the attack during the comeback, while Grace Rapacz delivered a service ace that helped erase Moody's lead.
The Vikings emptied the bench in the final frame without missing a beat. Senior setter Cassidy Mullens entered and contributed assists and two kills, including setups on consecutive Kanemoto finishes. Freshman libero Aleks Weleski, freshman middle blocker Reese Lackage, sophomore outside hitter Leila Becovic, freshman outside hitter Jaida Henderson, and freshman outside hitter Maria Bauer all saw action. Bauer recorded a late kill, while Lackage combined with Rodriguez on a block. Sylvestre added two kills down the stretch as North Park closed out the 25-16 victory.
For Moody Bible, Olivia Reid led the defensive effort with two solo blocks while Kiersten Lenox directed the offense with eight assists. Clem, Briseis Zequeida, Emerson DeVries, and Reid each recorded two kills for the Archers.
North Park finished with 42 kills, eight service aces, and a .258 hitting percentage while holding Moody Bible to a negative hitting percentage.
What's Next?
The Vikings (9-17, 0-7 CCIW) finish their conference season on Wednesday, November 4, traveling to Decatur, Illinois to face the Millikin Big Blue. First serve inside the Griswold Center is set for 6:00 p.m. CT.
