MADISON, WISC. - With the final week of the 2019 season right around the corner, the Madison College women's volleyball team is picking up momentum after extending their current win streak to three matches with a 3-0 sweep of Joliet Junior College on Tuesday inside H. Douglas Redsten Gymnasium. The WolfPack held off the Wolves by set scores of 25-14, 25-23, and 25-21 en route to an 18th consecutive match win, and eighth straight regular season series sweep, in the head-to-head series that now stands at 23-2 in favor of the 'Pack. Prior to the evening's North Central Community College Conference match, Madison College recognized the commitment and sacrifices of the team's five sophomores, who were playing their final regular season home match. The group includes Isabella Carrillo, Sage Esser, Cathleen Flannery, Samantha Kessenich, and Libby Ruhle. The video of the Sophomore Night ceremony can be found above.

Madison College started the match a slowly and fell behind 3-1, but regrouped to grab a 9-5 advantage in the opening set. Holding on to a 10-8 edge, the WolfPack put together an 8-1 run that included a pair of aces from Flannery to take control of the first set. The second set also saw the home team fall behind, this time digging a deeper 12-4 hole that led to a timeout. Out of the break, the 'Pack surged back and evened the score at 14-14. Still tied at 23-all after Joliet Junior College (12-15, 5-5) committed a net violation, Ruhle served up another ace to close it out. Madison College generated its own 12-4 advantage to start the third and held off a late push from the Wolves to earn their seventh N4C win of the year.



The WolfPack racked up 34 kills on a .232 attack percentage, marking the 11th time in the past 12 matches with 30 or more. They also amassed seven aces, two blocks, 28 assists, and 49 digs.

Flannery, an outside hitter from Green Bay, Wisconsin, put together a solid all-around effort with a team-high nine kills on a .227 efficiency, and also led the team with two aces and two blocks. The transfer from NCAA Division III Alverno College collected seven digs to complete her statline.

Freshman middle blocker Calla Borchert was also impressive, and efficient, as she matched Flannery's nine kills and posted a .538 hitting percentage for her ninth match with a .500 attack efficiency or better.

Three others registered multiple kills in the match as Kessnich added six, Olivia Marron had five, and Carrillo tallied four. Freshman Skyler Salter came off the bench to lead the squad in assists with 11, giving the Milton, Wisconsin, native three double-digit assist performances in the last four matches and five overall. Lena La Fleur added nine. Ruhle, a native of Madison, Wisconsin, had two aces to match Flannery, while freshman Sidni Walgurski's two blocks also pulled even with Flannery. Esser, a former Mt. Horeb High School athlete, tracked down a team-best ten digs for her seventh match with double-figures in the category.

The only low-point for Madison College during the night was a Harper College win over Milwaukee Area Technical College to clinch the N4C crown for the third time in four years. The Hawks are 9-0 and own the tie-breaker against the 7-3 WolfPack.

Up Next:

Madison College (13-15, 7-3) will finish out the regular season with two road matches starting Thursday, October 17 at last year's N4C champion, Rock Valley College (16-17, 5-4). The WolfPack downed the Golden Eagles 3-0 on September 19 in Madison, but still trail in the all-time series by a 39-28-1 count. First serve in Rockford, Illinois, is at 6:00 p.m.

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