KENOSHA, Wis. — In the semifinals of the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) Men's Volleyball Tournament, the Carthage College men's team defeated Loras 3-2 Wednesday night. 

• Final score: Carthage 3 - Loras 2
• Location: Kenosha, Wisconsin - Tarble Arena 
• Records: No. 2 Carthage 17-6, No. 3 Loras 18-6 

 
 

• The match started with both teams trading point for point as a kill from Zach Bulthuis and an ace from Mitch Geiger tied it at 14. 
• After Loras, the No. 3 seed in the tournament, went ahead 21-16, Carthage used a 9-2 run to close out the set with a combined block from Ty Martin and Bulthuis and a Geiger kill 25-23. 
• The Duhawks turned the tables in the second, going ahead 17-12. 
• A quick 5-1 run for the Firebirds cut the lead to one with kills from Ryan Cholewinski and Drew Jansen. 
• Although a kill from David Markes shrank the lead to three, Loras won the set 25-21. 
• With the momentum, the visitors jumped out to a six-point advantage. 
• Carthage, playing as the No. 2 seed, battled back, getting within three with an ace from Justin Girodat. 
• Loras won the third 25-20. 
• A kill from Bulthuis and Loras ball handling error saw the Firebirds hold a 15-8 score in the fourth. 
• Carthage went on to force a fifth with a kill from Geiger. 
• It was all Firebirds in the fifth as the home team jumped ahead 8-0 capped off with a block from Bulthuis and Jansen.
• A Duhawks service error won the match for Carthage 15-7. 

• The Firebirds posted double-digit kills: Mitch Geiger (15), Drew Jansen (14) and David Markes (14). 
• Geiger posted season-bests in aces (6) and kills (15), while Janen registered a new season-best in digs with 16. 
• Gene McNulty nearly missed his season-best as the junior finished with 46 in the match. 
• With the win the Firebirds will make their third-straight appearance in the CCIW Finals. 

 





 

• The Firebirds will face top-seed North Central (Ill.) on Saturday, April 15, at 5 p.m. in Naperville.