Carthage College Athletics

Carthage 3, Illinois Tech 1
CHICAGO, Ill. — The Carthage College women's volleyball team earned a 21-25, 25-18, 25-16, 25-17 victory over Illinois Tech on Wednesday night at the Keating Sports Center.
The Firebirds improved to 3-3 on the season with the win, while Illinois Tech fell to 2-2. Carthage hit .267 as a team, recording 50 kills and just 14 errors on 135 attacks. The Firebirds also held Illinois Tech to a .139 hitting percentage.



Set 1: Illinois Tech took the opening set, 25-21. Carthage jumped out to a 10-5 lead behind a trio of service aces from Taylor Baratta, but the Scarlet Hawks battled back. The teams were tied at 15 before Illinois Tech pulled ahead late. Carthage remained within two at 20-18, but Illinois Tech scored five of the final seven points to take the first set.

Set 2: The Firebirds responded with a 25-18 victory to even the match. Carthage built an 8-5 advantage early and extended its lead to 15-11. The Scarlet Hawks cut the deficit to one at 19-18, but the Firebirds closed the set on a 6-0 run. Kristina Manojlovic and Emma Crow each recorded kills during the closing stretch, while a service error by Illinois Tech gave Carthage the 25-18 win.

Set 3: Carthage seized control with a 25-16 win in the third set. The Firebirds opened with a 5-1 lead before extending the advantage to 11-2. Carthage continued to apply pressure, building a 20-8 lead behind a strong serving stretch from Della Walsh and Grace Wenthold. Illinois Tech rallied with five straight points, but the Firebirds answered with three consecutive points before closing out the set, 25-16.

Set 4: Carthage completed the comeback with a 25-17 victory in the fourth set. The Firebirds scored the first four points and never trailed. After Illinois Tech pulled within 8-5, Carthage responded with a 5-0 run to take a 13-5 advantage. The Firebirds later stretched their lead to 22-15 before Ava Dettwiler recorded a kill and Sofia Campos added a final point to seal the 25-17 win.



Manojlovic led the Firebirds with 24 kills on .238 hitting, adding 19 digs and a block. Crow followed with 10 kills, seven digs and four blocks, while Reichert recorded nine kills and 16 digs. Hailey Wierzgac added six kills and two blocks, and Taylor Baratta contributed three kills and a team-high five blocks.

Dettwiler orchestrated the Carthage offense with 43 assists while adding three kills, 16 digs and a block. Wenthold totaled seven digs and an ace, while Elise Webster recorded two aces and two digs in four sets of action.



"It's great to get a win on the road after a tough battle last night and losing the first set tonight!" said Head Coach Leanne Ulmer. "Our block got going in set two and we ended up with 10. Hailey had her best night on offense and did a nice job blocking. Mina was stellar in the back row passing and defensively! Tina and Emma led us in kills."



Carthage returns to action Friday, Sept. 11, at the St. Norbert Chick-Fil-A Invitational in De Pere, Wisconsin. The Firebirds face Lawrence at 5:30 p.m. before taking on St. Norbert at 8 p.m. For more information, visit athletics.carthage.edu.