Michelle Madeja with 18 killls vs. No. 3 La Verne on Sept. 5
The Carthage College women’s volleyball team (4-0, 0-0- College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin), ranked seventh in the pre-season American Volleyball Coaches Association NCAA Division III poll, opened its 2009 season by going 4-0 to win the Sept. 4-5 Pomona-Pitzer College “Pacific Coast Classic” in Claremont, Calif. On Friday, Sept. 4, Carthage swept California-Santa Cruz (0-1), 3-0, before sweeping Pomona-Pitzer (1-1), 3-0. The Lady Reds’ winning set scores over the Banana Slugs were 25-19, 25-16 and 25-22, and their winning scores over the Sagehens were 25-22, 25-16 and 25-9.
On Saturday, Sept. 5, the Lady Reds outlasted No. 3 the University of La Verne (3-1), 3-2, before sweeping Claremont-Mudd-Scripps College (1-2), 3-0. Carthage’s winning set scores over the No. 3 Lady Leos were 21-25, 25-21, 24-26, 25-15 and 15-7, while its scores over the Athenas were 25-20, 25-18 and 25-18. In the win over La Verne, outside hitter Michelle Madeja (So., Naperville, Ill./Neuqua Valley) collected 18 kills, while outside hitter Lauren Dembkowski (So., Mount Prospect, Ill./Arlington Heights-Hersey) had 17 kills. Setter Drewann Pancratz (So., Schaumburg, Ill.) had 49 assists, libero Katie Lundgren (Sr., Long Grove, Ill./Lincolnshire-Stevenson) 20 digs, and middle blocker Amanda Matusky (Sr., Hickory Hills, Ill./Palos Hills-Stagg) collected five blocks.