Decatur, IL— No. 4 Millikin University women's volleyball hosted No. 5 Carthage College for the First Round of the Collegiate Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Tournament in Griswold Center Tuesday evening.
Trailing early in set one was the Big Blue at 15-22, but following a Carthage hitting error, Nikkel Johnson capitalized and went for three straight kills in the stretch to get Millikin back in the game 20-22, followed by a service ace by Charley Condill to make it 21-22; forcing a Firebird timeout. Senior middle Kyra Carothers capped it off with a huge kill to take set one 27-25 for the Big Blue.
Carthage did not let up in the second, continuing to battle with Millikin in a full out set. Even with the Big Blue winning in every statistical category, the Firebirds were able to disrupt the offense of the hosts and take set two 25-23 to tie it all up 1-1.
Starting the third set off strong, Carothers and Elle Richards picked up a kill each and Thayleah Hall back-to-back service aces to go up 4-0 early. Picking up ten kills, four service aces, and four team blocks to force the Firebirds into the negatives, the Big Blue snagged the third to regain the advantage 2-1.
Senior Alyssa Frederking joined Hall on the ace stat line with three service aces to open the fourth, forcing an early Carthage timeout down 0-4. The Big Blue remained steady, holding the lead throughout, finally taking the match 3-1 to advance to the semifinals of the CCIW Tournament.
Maggye Smith and Richards led Millikin with ten kills apiece, Johnson and Miley Quade seven each, and Carothers and Gabriella Ricci six. Frederking and Haylee Porter both assisted their front row 20 times. With a match-high 21 digs, Francesca Brandonisio made a big impact in the back row to slow down the Carthage offense in huge moments.
Altogether, the Big Blue served aggressively to finish with 48 kills, 12 service aces, 63 digs, and 12 total blocks.
"I'm incredibly proud of the fight and resilience our team showed tonight. We found ourselves trailing by significant margins multiple times throughout the match, but our girls continued to battle, stay together, and find ways to work themselves back into sets. That speaks volumes about their character and their willingness to compete for each other," expresses Interim Head Coach Hannah Dick.
The Big Blue fans were loud and proud tonight, filling the stands to the brim and never going unnoticed. "I want to give a huge thank you to our community, students, families, and everyone who came out to pack Griswold tonight. The energy in that gym was incredible, and it truly made a difference. That support is a testament to the culture and family atmosphere we've built within this program and across Millikin University," says Dick. "We're incredibly grateful to have so many people in our corner."
Millikin Volleyball's season is far from over! The Big Blue are advancing to the second round, where they will face top-seeded Illinois Wesleyan University, a nationally ranked opponent currently sitting at No. 2 in the country.
The postseason action continues Thursday, November 12, at the Shirk Center in Bloomington, Illinois. First serve is set for 7 p.m. as the Big Blue look to keep their postseason run alive!
