Box Score MADISON, WISC. - A red-hot start to Thursday's North Central Community College Conference women's volleyball match fizzled out as Madison College dropped a 3-2 contest to the College of DuPage inside H. Douglas Redsten Gymnasium. The WolfPack had six chances to win the match in a dramatic fourth set, but were unable to seal the deal and lost by set scores of 6-25, 20-25, 25-19, 31-29, and 15-13. The setback is the third straight for the 'Pack, who will split their regular season series with the Chaparrals for a second consecutive year.

The WolfPack stormed out of the gates, using a 10-1 run to earn a lopsided 19-point first set win. Set two saw the 'Pack pull away late to secure the win, before faltering in the third set. The evening's biggest drama played out in the fourth set as the two teams went back and forth until Madison College took a 24-21 lead to face its first match point. However, the Chaparalls (6-21, 4-4) dug in their heels and rattled off three straight points to force the set into extra points. Over the course of the next few points, the 'Pack had match point opportunities at 25-24, 26-25, and 27-26 before eventually dropping the set. In the decisive fifth set, COD used a four-point run to take an early advantage that they never relinquished.

Madison College posted its second highest kills total in a match this season with 46, two fewer than in their five-set victory in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, and they did so while hitting at a .300 clip for the sixth time this fall. The 'Pack also registered a season-best 12.0 blocks, reaching double-digits in that category for just the second time.

Sophomore Samantha Kessenich paced the offensive attack with 13 kills on a .417 attack percentage. The career-high kills for the Evansville, Wisconsin, native and NAIA Clarke University transfer marks just her second double-digit kills effort in 2019. The 5'9" outside hitter/opposite fell one dig shy of her first career double-double with nine digs, to go along with a pair of blocks.



Fellow sophomore Cathleen Flannery, a transfer from NCAA Division III Alverno College, also fell just short of a double-double with nine kills and a team-leading 14 digs. The native of Green Bay, Wisconsin, ripped a team-high four aces. Freshman middle blocker Calla Borchert had eight kills and four blocks.

All three freshmen setters reached the ten-assist plateau, with Mt. Horeb, Wisconsin, product Lena La Fleur racking up 15 assists. Skyler Salter added 13 assists and Kaleia Lawrence posted ten.

The WolfPack block party was ignited by 6'0" middle blocker Sidni Walgurski with a career-best 7.0 blocks. Capping the defensive standouts were libero Jaidyn Lange with a dozen digs for her second consecutive match with ten or more.

With each team claiming a five-set win on the other's home floor in 2019, the all-time series stands at 29-8 in favor of Madison College. 

Up Next:

Madison College (10-15, 5-3) will look to end their losing skid with a road trip to play NCAA Division III Lakeland University JV in a non-conference match on Monday, October 7. The WolfPack defeated the Muskies on September 23 by a 3-0 tally. First serve in Plymouth, Wisconsin, is at 7:00 p.m.

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