DE PERE, Wis. – The Alverno College volleyball team dropped a three-set match to St. Norbert on Thursday evening at the Mulva Family Fitness & Sports Center in Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) play.

Freshmen Mary Needham (San Tan Valley, Ariz./Poston Butte) and Sofia Mitchell (Denver, Colo./Denver School of Science & Technology: Montview) led the Inferno offense with four kills apiece, while Needham added a team-best three total blocks, including one solo and two block assists. Senior Sharisty Kooch (Terrebonne, Ore./Redmond) narrowly missed her fifth straight double-double, finishing with eight assists and nine digs, and freshman Brooklynne Hereford (Beloit, Wis./Beloit Memorial) anchored the defense with a match-high 13 digs.

Alverno improved its offensive rhythm throughout the match, highlighted by a strong stretch midway through the second set featuring kills from Needham, Mitchell, and Holly King (Richland Center, Wis./Ithaca). St. Norbert, however, was steady offensively, committing just five attack errors in the first and third sets while hitting .280 overall.

With the result, Alverno falls to 3-15 overall (0-6 NACC), while St. Norbert improves to 17-7 (6-1 NACC). The Inferno return to action on Saturday, Oct. 18, hosting Aurora University inside Reiman Gymnasium at noon.

A sizzling first set of hitting set the tone for St. Norbert as they hit .517 (16-1-29) to jump out to a strong 1-0 set lead early in the match. The Inferno responded with a much better second set, leading 11-10 and later tying the score at 15-15. The Green Knights regained form after, however, going on a 10-0 run to win the second stanza 25-15.

In the final set, Alverno was strong early once again, leading 9-8 and holding a tie at 12-12, but another big run led the Green Knights to a strong finish as they won the match with a 25-14 third-set victory.

Casey Vaughn led the St. Norbert attack with an efficient night, as she tallied nine kills on 15 attempts and one error while also tallying four digs, and Heidi Colburn notched a match-high 15 assists and also added 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