The 23-4 and #6 ranked WolfPack needed four sets to defeat the College of DuPage Chaparrals in their opening play-off game in Madison, WI on Wednesday night. The 'Pack took the first two sets 25-18 and 25-17, before dropping the third set in a close 26-28 game. Madison College then got serious and took the fourth set to win the match 25-14 for their play-off opening victory. With the win Madison College improves to 24-4 and faces the Harper College Hawks in Rockford, IL this Saturday. The game versus Harper starts at 12:00 PM on October 27.

Season highs in kills and assists were achieved on Wednesday, illustrating the potency of the 'Pack attack. Terissa Bierd led the team with a season-high 20 kills in 43 attempts to go along with only two errors for a .419 attack percentage. Alexis Semrow also registered a season high as she picked up 47 assists in the play-off opener. Currently Semrow is 12th in the nation in the NJCAA's rankings for assists with 732, while Bierd is 25th with 269 kills. Bierd also added 16 digs, a service ace, and a block assist, while Semrow pitched in seven digs, two service aces, and a block assist.

Payton Klein also got into the offensive action by registering 12 kills, and Vanessa Clarson tied Semrow for the team lead with two service aces. Clarson was even more effective on the defensive side as she paced the team in digs (28) and Morgan Ellickson finished right behind her (19) in the category. Leading the team in blocks was Danielle Crawford who put up two solo blocks and one block assists for 2.5 total rejections.

Madison College tied for the N4C conference lead with the Harper Hawks (as well as Rock Valley College), and the two teams faced each other twice earlier in the season. The WolfPack lost the first match to the Hawks in late August (two sets to three), before getting swept in three sets almost a month later. Hopefully the play-off meeting between the 'Pack and the Harper Hawks bares different results. The second round play-off game against Harper starts at 12:00 PM.