ROCKFORD, ILL. - Two teams now tied for second in the North Central Community College Conference battled through an ultra-competitive match Thursday, with Rock Valley College earning a 3-1 defeat over the Madison College women's volleyball team to earn a split of the regular season series for the third time in the last four years. The WolfPack, who had won three straight games coming in, narrowly lost the first two sets by scores of 27-25 and 25-23, before rebounding for a 17-25 win in the third. However, the fourth set ended with a 25-17 victory for the Golden Eagles, who pulled even with the 'Pack in the N4C standings. Rock Valley College has won four of the last six meetings, and leads the all-time series by a 40-28-1 margin.

Behind double-digit kills in each of the first three sets, Madison College finished with 33 kills on 33 assists, to go along with five aces, eight blocks, and 67 digs. The visitors posted a .183 attack percentage for the match, which included a .360 hitting efficiency in the third set.

Sophomore outside hitter Cathleen Flannery matched a season-high with 13 kills to lead the WolfPack, and earn her seventh double-digit kills performance of the season. The former De Pere High School athlete and a transfer from NCAA Division III Alverno College, Flannery also earned her second career double-double with a dozen digs. The team-leader in kills on the season hit at a .286 clip with just three errors.

Second year Samantha Kessenich and freshman Calla Borchert each tallied five kills, while first year middle blocker Sidni Walgurski added three kills on a team-best .600 attack percentage. Borchert and Walgurski led the defensive effort above the net with four and three blocks, respectively.

Helping to drive the offense were first year setters Lena La Fleur and Skyler Salter, who each racked up 13 assists. Salter, who also tracked down 12 digs to earn her first career double-double, has reached ten or more assists in four of the last five matches. The Milton, Wisconsin, native also served up two aces. La Fleur, the team-leader in helpers and a product of Mt. Horeb, Wisconsin, owns 17 double-figure assist matches in 2019.

En route to the team's sixth-highest dig total in a match this season, sophomore libero Sage Esser, also a former Mt. Horeb High School athlete, had a team-best 16 digs. Freshman Olivia Marron posted 11 digs.

Up Next:

Madison College (13-16, 7-4) travels to Triton College (7-17, 0-10) for the final regular season match of 2019. The Trojans, yet to win a N4C match this season, have not won a set against the WolfPack since the two teams became conference foes in 2009, which gives the 'Pack a 22-match win streak and an 18-match advantage in the head-to-head series. First serve in River Grove, Illinois, is at 6:00 p.m.

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