CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - The Carthage College women's volleyball team swept the weekend at the Wartburg Invite. The Firebirds opened up Friday with a 3-2 win over No. 14 Cornell before picking up a straight-set sweep over Coe. Carthage concluded with a 3-0 win over tournament host Wartburg on Saturday. 

Head coach Leanne Ulmer collected her 600th career win on Friday against Cornell. Ulmer, the program leader for career wins, has been at the helm since 2001 and crossed the 500th win milestone on September 22, 2018. 


 
Game One

• Final score: Carthage 3 - Cornell 2
• Location: Cedar Rapids, Iowa - Levick Arena
• Records: Carthage 7-6, No. 13 Cornell 8-3

Game Two

• Final score: Carthage 3 - Coe 0
• Location: Cedar Rapids, Iowa - Levick Arena
• Records: Carthage 8-6, Coe 6-6

Game Three

• Final score: Carthage 3 - Wartburg 0
• Location: Cedar Rapids, Iowa - Levick Arena
• Records: Carthage 9-6, Wartburg 4-10

• In the first game on Friday, Cornell held a five-point lead in the first set. 
• Carthage rallied, getting within three with a kill from Kristina Manojlovic. 
• The rally sparked the Firebirds, scoring the next six of nine points capped off with a Manojlovic block tying it at 19. 
• Two kills from Manojlovic and Kaitie Rohe moved the Firebirds ahead by one at 24-23. 
• The Rams responded, tallying the final three points to win the first 26-24. 
• In the second, Rohe kept Carthage within two with a kill. 
• Later, a block from Ella Pettinger shrunk the deficit to one. 
• Four straight points by the Firebirds, highlighted by two aces from Aubree Bucheger, moved Carthage ahead by two.
• Though Cornell tied it at 24, a kill from Kinsey Bakhaus and a combined block from Liv Carel and Devinn Bell won the set 26-24. 
• In the third, Katie Boston connected on a block for a 15-14 score. 
• Cornell retaliated, regaining control 20-16. 
• The Rams went on to win the third 25-19. 
• An ace from Bell and two kills from Manojlovic and Carel saw the Firebirds go up four in the fourth. 
• Carthage scored five unanswered points capped off by a Jenna Damon ace, extending the Firebirds advantage to 18-12. 
• A Bakhaus kill and a Rams attack error forced a fifth set. 
• It was all Carthage in the fifth as Leena Ajibola collected a solo block while Bakhaus hit a kill on the next point for a 7-3 score.
• Though Cornell got within one with a kill of their own, two Firebird kills and a Rams attack error won it for Carthage 15-11. 

 

• Game two of Friday's action saw Carthage start the first set up 7-4 with an ace from Tatum Kebisek. 
• After Coe tied at 12, a quick 4-1 run for the Firebirds put them in front by three with a Manojlovic kill. 
• Another 7-2 run for Carthage capped off with a kill from Carel propelled the Firebirds to a 23-17.
• Carthage won the first set 25-20 with two kills from Carel and Bakhaus. 
• Using the momentum from the first, the Firebirds jumped out to a fast 8-3 score. 
• Bakhaus used a kill and ace, extending the lead to eight. 
• Carthage won the set closing with two kills from Bakhaus and an ace from Bell 25-14. 
• Coe flipped the score in the third, going ahead 9-4. 
• The Firebirds battled back, going out in front 15-14 off an attack error. 
• Carthage used the momentum to win the match with two closing kills from Boston and Manojlovic. 

 

• Saturday's tilt saw set one start with two kills from Carel, and Rohe sparked a 7-4 score. 
• Two aces from Bell projected the Firebirds ahead by five. 
• Carthage held on to the lead as Boston used a block, and a Knights attack error won it for the visitors 25-18. 
• Bakhaus put Carthage up 13-8 in the second. 
• Later, Bucheger used another ace, putting Carthage ahead by six. 
• Another Bakhaus kill won the second 25-20. 
• Carel tied the third at 14 with a kill. 
• After Wartburg got within one, Carthage closed the match with an 8-2 run for the straight-set sweep. 

• Through the invite, Liv Carel led the Firebirds in kills with 39, averaging 3.55 kills per set. 
• Carel was named to the All-Tournament team. 
• Kristina Manojlovic followed closely with 31, 2.82 kills per set. 
• Kaitie Rohe and Kinsey Bakhaus both had over 20 kills finishing with 25 and 22 respectively. 
• Aubree Bucheger registered 10 aces during the invite and chipped in with 25 digs. 
• Sophomore Jenna Damon added 58 digs, while Bakhaus had 34. 
• Devinn Bell and Tatum Kebisek totaled over 50 assists for the invite concluding with 66 and 52 respectively. 
• Leena Ajibola led the Firebirds in blocks with eight followed by Carel with six, Rohe with five and Katie Boston and Kristina Manojlovic with four. 
• Coming into the weekend's action Katie Boston ranked No. 19 in the country for blocks per set while Ajibola ranked No. 44. 

"Really good weekend at a tough tournament!! We had strong contributions across the board. Cornell was a battle, and I thought we responded well to get to a 5th set and take it! We were pretty efficient in the other two matches and blocked very well. Liv Carel led us offensively, and Kristina Manojlovic and Kaitie Rohe hit a high percentage. We blocked a lot of balls this weekend, which we need to do to beat good teams. Jenna Damon, Aubree Bucheger, and Kinsey Bakhaus were rock solid in serve receive, giving our setter options at the net. Aubree Bucheger and Devinn Bell served well, helping us sustain runs. Katie Boston, Leena Ajibola, and Ella Pettinger did a great job blocking and shutting down opposing hitters. We are playing well as a team and are excited to be home Wednesday to take on conference opponent Wheaton!"

• The Firebirds return home for conference action against Wheaton (Ill.) on Wednesday, September 27 at 7 p.m.