GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – After a challenging day with triumphs and trials, the Carthage College women's volleyball team (22-6, 2-1 CCIW), ranked No. 11 in the Oct. 13th AVCA Top 25 Poll, returned to Van Noord Arena for day two of the 2015 Calvin Midwest Invitational.
 
The Lady Reds kicked off day two with a Noon match against the No. 7 Wittenberg University Tigers (17-2). The score was tight throughout the beginning of the first set until the Tigers were able to take a three-point run towards the middle of the set to take the lead 10-6. Carthage would attempt to take back the lead, but a five-point run late in the set gave Wittenberg a wide 19-9 lead. The tigers held on to the lead and won the first set with a score of 25-14.
 
Carthage struck first in the second set and earned a 2-0 lead on kills by Megan Fallert and Emily Heuermann. The Tigers responded and tied the game 2-2 with a kill by Kendall Farmer and a Carthage error. A point-for-point battle ensued between both teams until the Tigers took a three-point run to take the lead 10-7. The Lady Reds fought back and were able to go on a four-point lead to tie the score 12-12. Wittenberg would eventually take the win 25-22, extending their lead to 2-0 over the Lady Reds.
 
Carthage wasn't willing to be swept in the opening match of the day and took it upon themselves to ensure that a loss wouldn't occur in three sets. The Lady Reds would take a late three-point run on a kill by Stephanie Korbakes and two aces by Luci Krenzke. Carthage would hold onto the lead and eventually win the third set 19-25, making the score of the game 1-2.
 
Unfortunately, Wittenberg would regain momentum in the fourth set. Both teams would challenge each other in every facet of the game, but the Tigers would prove to be stronger. Wittenberg won the set 25-19, securing their 3-1 win over Carthage (14-25, 22-25, 25-19, 19-25).
 
Carthage completed 49 kills, five aces, five blocks, 46 assists, 61 digs and hit .200 in the four-set match. Jaime Dickinson and Stefanie Romanowski each recorded 12 digs in the match along with Emily Heuermann who completed 11, respectively. Karen Chin earned 38 assists and Luci Krenzke made 21 digs.
 
Carthage took on the Bluffton University Beavers (14-8) later in the afternoon to close out the Midwest Invitational. The Lady Reds took control immediately in the game and gout out to a large 9-4 lead over the Beavers in the first set. A few points later, Carthage was able to go on a three-point run to take the lead 13-5. Carthage would keep the lead for the remainder of the set and earn the win 25-18.
 
The Beavers responded well in the second set and took the lead towards the middle of the set with a score of 10-7. Bluffton kept the lead for most of the set until the Lady Reds tied the game 22-22. On the next point, Jaime Dickinson took advantage of a ball set by Karen Chin and earned the kill, making the score 23-22. Jenny Brown of the Beavers would respond with a kill to tie the game once again. Stephanie Korbakes would take control for the Lady Reds and complete two kills for the final two points of the game. Carthage won the set 25-23, extending their lead to 2-0.
 
An attack error by the Beavers and a service ace by Karen Chin would give Carthage the 2-0 lead early in the third set. The Lady Reds dominated the third set, keeping the lead for the full length of the set, earning the 25-15 win and securing the 3-0 sweep over the Bluffton University Beavers (25-18, 25-23, 25-15).
 
As a team, the Lady Reds completed 48 kills, 11 aces, five blocks, 43 assists and 53 digs. Jaime Dickinson and Stefanie Romanowski each made 10 kills along with Stephanie Korbakes who made nine. Dickinson also made four aces along with Bria Hailey who recorded three and Emily Heuermann who recorded two. Karen Chin completed 34 in the three-set match and Luci Krenzke completed 19 digs.

Emily Heuermann set the new Carthage Career Kills record with 1,585 kills on Saturday, Oct. 17th after earning seven kills during the match against Bluffton University. Heuermann broke Michelle Madeja's record of 1,580. Madeja played for the Lady Reds from 2008-2011.
 
Carthage will travel to Chicago, Ill. on Tuesday, Oct. 20th to take on North Park University (7-13, 0-4 CCIW) at 7 p.m. in the North Park Gymnasium. The Lady Reds will return home on Friday, Oct. 23rd as they face Illinois Wesleyan University (18-6, 3-1 CCIW) at 7 p.m. inside Tarble Arena.