MILWAUKEE, Wis. – The Alverno College volleyball team opened strong in each set but ultimately fell in straight sets to Benedictine University (IL) on Thursday evening inside Reiman Gymnasium. The Eagles claimed the match 25-18, 25-23, 25-14 in Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) play.

Freshman Mary Needham (San Tan Valley, Ariz./Poston Butte) once again led the Inferno attack, tallying a new career-high 17 kills. Senior Sharisty Kooch (Terrebonne, Ore./Redmond) guided the offense with 17 assists and chipped in 11 digs for her third straight double-double.

Freshman Brooklynne Hereford (Beloit, Wis./Beloit Memorial) anchored the defense with a team-high 15 digs and an ace, while Sofia Mitchell (Denver, Colo./Denver School of Science & Technology: Montview) added five kills and hit .455, also adding the lone Inferno block of the night.

As a team, Alverno hit .149 (33-18-101), their best total in a loss this season, as they also had a strong defensive effort with 42 digs to the Eagles' 44. Benedictine finished the night with a .363 hitting percentage (40-7-91) and posted nine team blocks and 10 service aces.

With the result, Alverno drops to 3-13 overall (0-4 NACC), while Benedictine improves to 7-11 (3-2 NACC). The Inferno return to action on Saturday, Oct. 11, with a conference road match at Concordia-Chicago beginning at noon.

In the opening set, Alverno kept the score tight early, using kills from Needham to take an early 7-6 lead. The Eagles responded with an 8-1 run to gain control of the lead and set, eventually taking the win 25-18.

The second set proved to be the Inferno's best stretch, featuring six ties and multiple lead changes. Alverno jumped ahead 9-3 on a serving run from Hereford, but Benedictine rallied with a 5-0 run shortly after to tie the game at 10. The Inferno led 19-15 midway through after a Needham kill, but an Eagles 7-0 run gave them a 22-20 advantage before Alverno knotted the score at 22 points apiece after a Kooch kill and a rare attack error from Benedictine. The Eagles rallied to finish the game on a 3-1 run, taking the second set 25-23.

In the final set, the Eagles' offense proved efficient, hitting .579, while Alverno battled with solid backrow play from Hereford and King before falling 25-14 to close the match.

Sophia Sommesi led the Eagles' attack with nine kills and just one attack error for a .364 hitting percentage, while also adding a team-high 10 digs. Olivia Evola tallied a team-best 19 assists, and Taylor Coutts added 17 assists and seven digs. More Than a Game, 25 Years of Strength and Spirit: Alverno College is proud to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Alverno Athletics. Since 2000, our student-athletes have embodied the spirit of competition, teamwork, and excellence both on and off the courts and fields. Join us in honoring a quarter-century of Inferno pride on the following dates as we celebrate 25 years of strength and spirit -

• Volleyball vs. Rockford on November 1^st at noon
• Softball vs. Maranatha on March 31^st at 3 p.m.
• Softball vs. Concordia Wisconsin on April 25 at noon