Alverno College Athletics - Home of the Inferno

MEQUON, Wis. -- The Alverno College women's volleyball team dropped a Northern Athletics Conference match to host Concordia University Wisconsin, 3-0, on Friday night, but exhibited an improved team effort that the squad hopes to take into Saturday's triangular match with Wisconsin Lutheran College and North Park University.

"Although the scores don't show it, we finally clicked as a team tonight," said Alverno head coach Crystal McClure. "Our overall presence on the court was positive, and we really pushed and played great defense. Everyone left knowing that we had produced a better team effort."

The Inferno (0-20, 0-7 NAC) were able to take advantage of some of the Falcons' miscues and showed flashes of stellar defense, but still conceded all three sets with scores of 25-10, 25-11 and 25-15.

"We got so many balls up that really impressed me, and it was really an all-around defensive effort," McClure said. "Roxanne (Kresmer) played amazing defense. We just need to start being smarter on offense."

Kresmer, a freshman outside hitter from South Milwaukee, Wis., notched the team high in digs with nine, followed by junior setter Kim Reuter (Franklin, Wis.) with seven. Freshman middle blocker Rachel Diedrich (Two Rivers, Wis.) led the Inferno's offense with four kills.

Alverno will continue match play tomorrow as the Inferno return to their home court for a triangular match with fellow NAC foe Wisconsin Lutheran at 10 a.m. followed by a non-conference bout with North Park at 2 p.m.

"We're going into tomorrow's matches on a positive note," McClure said. "Granted, it's another loss tonight but the girls don't feel mentally defeated. We know what we're up against tomorrow, but we're ready for it."