(RV) UChicago 3, Carthage 2
KENOSHA, Wis. – The Carthage College women's volleyball team battled back from an early deficit but ultimately fell to UChicago, 25-20, 22-25, 25-22, 26-28, 15-9, on Tuesday night at Tarble Arena.
The Firebirds dropped to 2-3 on the season with the loss, while UChicago improved to 5-0. The match featured 53 ties and 25 lead changes, including 17 ties and nine lead changes in the fourth set alone.
Set 1: UChicago opened the match with a 25-20 victory. The Firebirds stayed within striking distance throughout the opening set, trailing 13-10 before a kill from Emma Crow brought Carthage within two. UChicago later used a 5-0 run to build a 23-18 advantage before closing out the set, 25-20.
Set 2: Carthage responded with a 25-22 win to even the match. The Firebirds led 6-5 early before the Maroons took a 15-11 advantage. Carthage then rallied, scoring four straight points to tie the set at 15. The Firebirds continued to battle through a 22-22 tie before kills from Kristina Manojlovic and Mina Reichert helped Carthage close out the set, 25-22.
Set 3: UChicago regained the lead in the match with a 25-22 third-set victory. Carthage held an early 6-3 advantage and remained within a point at 14-13 before UChicago pulled ahead. The Firebirds rallied to tie the set at 15, but the Maroons answered with a 5-2 stretch to take a 20-17 lead. Carthage stayed close late, cutting the deficit to 23-22, before UChicago scored the final two points to take the set.
Set 4: Carthage forced a fifth set with a dramatic 28-26 victory. The Firebirds trailed 10-6 early before rallying to tie the set at 10. The teams continued to trade points throughout the middle portion of the set, with neither side able to gain more than a two-point advantage. Carthage reached set point at 25-24, but UChicago answered to force extra points. With the score tied at 26, a bad set by UChicago gave Carthage a 27-26 advantage before an ace from Crow sealed the 28-26 victory.
Set 5: UChicago took control early in the deciding set, building an 8-5 lead before Carthage pulled within two at 8-6. The Maroons answered with a 4-0 run to take a 12-6 advantage. Carthage trimmed the deficit to 12-9 behind kills from Reichert and Manojlovic, but UChicago scored the final three points to secure the 15-9 victory and the five-set 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.
Ava Dettwiler orchestrated the Carthage offense with 43 assists while adding three kills, 16 digs and a block. Grace Wenthold totaled seven digs and an ace, while Elise Webster recorded two aces and two digs in four sets of action.
Carthage returns to action Wednesday, Sept. 9, when the Firebirds travel to Chicago, Ill., to face Illinois Tech at 6 p.m. For more information, visit athletics.carthage.edu.
