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Carthage College Athletics

The Official Website of The Carthage College Firebirds
Cohan-Kyle
Mike Gryniewicz
3
Winner Carthage CARTH 8-0,4-0 CCIW
1
Aurora AUR 4-4,3-1 NACC
Winner
Carthage CARTH
8-0,4-0 CCIW
3
Final
1
Aurora AUR
4-4,3-1 NACC
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Carthage CARTH 22 25 25 25 (3)
Aurora AUR 25 20 23 19 (1)

Game Recap: #6 Men's Volleyball |

No. 4 Firebirds Fend Off Spartans for Non-Conference Win

AURORA, Ill. — In their second meeting of the season against Aurora, the No. 4 Carthage College men's volleyball defeated the Spartans 3-1 Friday night at Thornton Gymnasium.

Both teams traded points to begin the first with the score knotted at six early on. Carter Schmidt connected on a kill to put Carthage (8-0) up two however, the home team retaliated to tie it at eight. The Spartans went on a fast 6-2 run to go up 14-10 forcing a Firebirds timeout. Carthage got within one with a kill from Matt Slivinski and Schmidt. With the score even at 20, Aurora (4-4) tallied the next two points to control the set and collected the last three points to take a one-set lead 25-22.

With the score tied at nine in the second, a bad set for the Spartans and back-to-back kills from Slivinski put the Firebirds up 12-9. After Carthage pushed the score to 23-17, the Firebirds went on to tie the game at a set apiece with kills from Schmidt and Slivinski 25-20. 

In the third, Aurora jumped out to an 8-3 margin until Carthage rattled off four straight points making it 8-7. Neither team would gain the advantage as the score was locked at 20 late however, Carthage was first to 25 with an ace from Blake Arnold and a kill from Slivinski taking the third set 25-23. 

The Firebirds started with a 6-4 lead in the fourth with a Spartans service error. A fast 6-2 run for Carthage extended the lead to 12-6 forcing a timeout. Following a Carthage timeout, Slivinski added a kill and a service ace putting the visitors up 19-11. Two final points for Carthage sealed the game for the visitors 25-19.

The Firebirds are back in action tomorrow, facing Millikin at home starting at 3 p.m. 

Head Coach JW Kieckhefer

"Fans in the stands makes volleyball fun!!! Awesome to get to see our parents and play in front of them for the first time.

So proud of this group for the effort and execution as this match went on. We were able to find our style of Carthage volleyball by the end of the match and that was the difference.

Blake Arnold's defense was absolutely incredible today. He was everywhere and was able to lead this group to make adjustments as the match went on. Matt Slivinski took over for us in set three and decided he was not losing. I'm proud of our seniors and their leadership. All of them. It's that experience and grit that makes us a great team."
 

Quick Facts

  • Senior Matt Slivinski led Carthage in kills with a match-high 21 while Carter Schmidt finished with 12. 
  • Entering today's game, Slivinski was ranked second nationally in division III in points per set (6.28) while Gene McNulty ranks fourth in assists per set (11.47) and Zach Bulthuis in hitting percentage (.500) for fifth. 
  • McNulty added 39 assists in the match while Blake Arnold had eight digs. 
  • Carthage hit .367 in set three with 14 kills off 30 attacks and only three errors. 

You can keep up with Carthage Athletics by following us on Facebook at facebook.com/carthageathletics, Twitter by following @CarthageSports, and on Instagram by following @CarthageAthletics.

 
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