Alverno College Athletics - Home of the Inferno

MILWAUKEE -- Although the Alverno College women's volleyball team showed marked improvements in multiple areas in its Northern Athletics Conference match with Aurora University, the Inferno couldn't quite manage to pull off an upset, falling 3-0 to the Spartans on Tuesday night at home.

"They really applied what they learned in practice to tonight's match with directional blocking and taking the over passes," said Alverno head coach Crystal McClure. "They really took control and were very aggressive in the back row."

The Inferno (0-24, 0-10 NAC) hung with the Spartans (14-13, 7-2 NAC) for the majority of the first two sets, even posting a 14-14 tie in the second set, but couldn't quite go the distance in either one with scores of 25-17 and 25-19 for losses in both sets. In the third set, the home squad ran into some miscues that set them back, 25-14, allowing Aurora to pick of the match victory.

"We hurt ourselves with our serving in the third set and we kind of beat ourselves with our passing and lost some confidence," McClure said. "But, all in all I'm very pleased with the way we played tonight. Ashley Graham did a great job on offense and Roxanne (Kresmer) and Kim (Reuter) were aggressive on defense."

Graham (Cudahy, Wis.), a sophomore outside hitter, led the offensive drive for the Inferno with eight kills, while Kresmer (South Milwaukee, Wis.), a freshman outside hitter, turned in the top effort in the back row with eight digs. Freshman defensive specialist Ann Brown (Milwaukee, Wis./Hamilton) was also part of an impressive effort by the Inferno's back row, posting seven digs in her first match start of the season, while Reuter (Franklin, Wis.), a junior setter, chipped in six digs and 13 assists.

"This week we were able to focus on working together as a team instead of having to focus so much on individual skills like we were earlier in the season," McClure said. "I think being able to work more on in-game scenarios really helped our communication on defense."

The Inferno will now focus on its final home match of the season, facing Milwaukee School of Engineering on Friday, Oct. 23, for what McClure thinks could be a close NAC showdown.

"Tonight I saw positive movement forward to our match on Friday with MSOE," she said. "I know they had a very tough non-conference schedule just like we did. If we play like we did tonight and take our play up even one more level, we're right there with them."

Match start time with the Raiders is set for 7 p.m. in Alverno's Reiman Gymnasium.