The Monmouth College volleyball team rallied to win the third set but couldn't complete the comeback with a 3-1 loss to St. Norbert at the WLC Quadrangular on Saturday. The Green Knights won the match 25-15, 25-11 22-25, 25-20.
The match started with a block by
Chloe Strachan (Reynolds, Illinois) and
Alana Robertson (Mapleton, Illinois). St. Norbert won the next six points before Robertson had a kill.
Kaylee Celus (Annawan, Illinois) added a kill before Norbert went on a run to lead 13-6.
Leah Allan (Oconto, Wisconsin) and
Melina Teunis (Grand Haven, Michigan) shared a block but the Scots trailed 20-9. Teunis indeed her second kill of the set as did Celus. Strachan had a kill but the Green Knights took the opener 25-15.
The second set was all St. Norbert early as they led 5-0 and 10-3. Teunis and
Zoe Nizzia (Pekin, Illinois) had kills in a 3-0 Monmouth run but the Green Knights responded to lead 14-7. They led 20-9 when Celus and Robertson shared a block but the Green Knights won the set 25-11.
Monmouth got things rolling in the third set with three kills by Celus and an ace from Nizzia to lead 6-1.
Bri Woodard (Monmouth, Illinois) picked up a kill as did
Lauren Aldrich (Wauconda, Illinois) for an 11-6 lead. Aldrich and Celus added kills as the Scots led 15-8 before a mini St. Norbert run. Woodard and Celus had kills and the teams traded off points before Strachan added a kill. The lead was 22-20 when Strachan and Robertson shared a block and Celus had a kill. On the second set point, Norbert's service error gave Monmouth a 25-22 set win.
Celus started the fourth set with a kill and the Scots built a 4-1 lead with kills by Teunis and Celus. Woodard and Celus added kills for an 8-2 lead before the Green Knights won three points in a row. With
Brynn Hogan (Galena, Missouri) serving, Strachan had two kills for a 13-6 lead. Robertson and Allan added kills but SNC pulled within two at 17-15. After a timeout they tied the set at 17, 18 and 19. The Green Knights took the lead and pushed it to 23-19 before Robertson had a kill. St. Norbert won the next two points to take the set 25-20 and finish the match at 3-1.
Celus led the Scots with 13 kills in the match while Teunis had six.
Bailey Hill (East Alton, Illinois) had 14 assists, one more than Robertson. Allan, Nizzia and Robertson all had 13 digs and Robertson led the way with six blocks.
MONMOUTH MOMENTS: Celus has at least 10 kills in two straight matches…Robertson's six has posted six or more blocks in a match twice this season…Celus and Nizzia had Monmouth;s two service aces…The match only had two lead changes, one in the first set and one in the fourth set…The teams had not met since St. Norbert left the MWC after the 2019-20 school year…The Green Knights lead the all-time series 29-3…Monmouth are next in action Wednesday with their home opener against nationally ranked Millikin at 7 p.m.
