The Carthage College women's volleyball team (12-2, 2-0 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin), ranked seventh in the Sept. 20 American Volleyball Coaches Association NCAA Division III poll, outlasted CCIW-opponent Wheaton College (Ill., 8-5, 1-1 CCIW), 3-2, on Tuesday, Sept. 20 at Tarble Arena in Kenosha, Wis. The Lady Reds' winning set scores over the Thunder were 25-19, 31-33, 25-17, 20-25 and 15-11.
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After Carthage won the first set, 25-19, the second turned into a real battle. With the scored tied at 24-24, the two teams tied each other up seven more times, including 31-13, before the Thunder won it, 33-31. Carthage won the third set, 25-17, before Wheaton (Ill.) knotted things up with a 25-20 decision in the fourth set. In the fifth-and-final set, the Lady Reds opened up a 6-0 lead before the Thunder tied the set at 10-10. Still leading by one, 12-11, Carthage ran off the final three points for a 15-11 decision. Â
Outside hitter Michelle Madeja (Sr., Naperville, Ill./Neuqua Valley) led the Lady Reds with 23 kills and a .227 attack percentage. Middle blocker Cindy Cavanagh Sr., Naperville, Ill./Aurora-Waubonsie Valley) had 17 kills with a .351 attack percentage and six blocks (2 solo, 4 assisted), while outside hitter Lauren Dembkowski (Sr., Mount Prospect, Ill./Arlington Heights-Hersey) collected 15 kills. Setter Drewann Pancratz (Sr. Schaumburg, Ill.) averaged 12.20 assists per set. On Wednesday, Sept. 21, the Lady Reds travel to Chicago to play non-conference opponent and No. 17 the University of Chicago (11-0) in a 7 p.m. contest at the Ratner Athletics Center.Â
