Volleyball Struggles in Triangular at Northwestern
Saint Paul, Minn - The Crown College volleyball team enters the final week of the season heading on the road for five matches in four days against some of the toughest competition of the season. This long road string started on Wednesday in St. Paul as the Storm took on Northwestern College, undefeated in conference play and already securing the #1 overall seed in the UMAC volleyball playoffs beginning next week. The night didn't get any easier as the Storm took on #19 UW-Eau Claire after facing off with the Eagles.
In the first match of the day for the Storm the Eagles established early that they would not rest on the securing the top seed in the playoffs next week as they jumped out 18-1 in the first set cruising to a 25-5 victory. The second set was very similar as the Eagles again jumped out early and dominated for a second straight set winning 25-7. The third set would be more competitive for the Storm against some of the reserves from Northwestern but ultimately the Storm would drop the match in three sets losing the third 25-17.
In the second match of the afternoon the Storm took on the #19 ranked team in NCAA Division III UW-Eau Claire. The first set would find the Storm trailing 19-10 when a timeout by Coach Moehring inspired the team to battle the rest of the set closing the gap but ultimately losing 25-17 to drop their fourth consecutive set of the evening. The second set would see the Storm stay close even pulling within four at 14-10 before UW-Eau Claire would string together a massive run and win the second set 25-16. The third set would be much the same with the Storm working hard to battle throughout but the bigger, stronger, faster squad from Wisconsin would win the third set 25-16 ending the evening for the Storm with two straight set losses.
The Storm (4-24, 0-12) are next in action on Friday as they take on The College of St. Scholastica in Duluth before finishing the season on Saturday with a Triad in Ashland, Wis against UMAC foe Northland College and non-conference opponent Finlandia University.
