MILWAUKEE, Wis. – In their Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) opener, the Alverno College team fell in straight sets to the visiting Wisconsin Lutheran Warriors. The Inferno were competitive throughout the match, holding leads throughout the game, but the Warriors prevailed for the NACC win.

Freshman Mary Needham (San Tan Valley, Ariz./Poston Butte) led all players with 11 kills and 12 points, leading the Inferno attack as she also posted a .310 hitting percentage (11-2-29). Senior Sharisty Kooch (Terrebonne, Ore./Redmond) added 12 assists and five digs, while freshman Holly King (Richland Center, Wis./Ithaca) led the defense with eight digs and added four kills.

Both teams came out of the gate hot, as the Inferno hit .241 (11-4-29) in the first set, while the Warriors hit a sizzling .361 (17-4-36). Wisconsin Lutheran kept up the hot hitting throughout the match, finishing the night at .340 (45-12-97), while Alverno ended with a percentage of .105 (21-13-76). Each team was even defensively, with the Warriors outdigging Alverno by just three digs at 39-36, but they were able to separate themselves with 12 service aces to just two for Alverno.

Alverno falls to 2-9 (0-1 NACC) and next travels to Beloit on Tuesday, Sept. 30, for a non-conference road matchup. Wisconsin Lutheran improves to 4-9 (1-1 NACC) and next hosts the WLC Triangular on Friday, Sept. 26, as they take on UW-La Crosse and Lake Forest.

In set one, the Inferno came out strong, holding an early 5-2 lead on kills from freshman Leilani Curtis (Rockford, Ill./Auburn), Needham, and Sofia Mitchell (Denver, Colo./Denver School of Science & Technology: Montview). Alverno kept up the strong play, using a 4-0 run midway through the set to take a 15-11 lead, as Needham had two kills and King had a service ace in the run. A pair of runs from Wisconsin Lutheran helped them cut into the deficit and then retake the lead, going up 20-17 before the Inferno were able to respond with back-to-back points. The Warriors, however, took five of the next six points, closing out with a hard-fought set-one victory.

The second set saw a similar story to the first, as Alverno played strongly early, not allowing the visitors to build a large advantage. Trailing 8-4, the Inferno scored four of the next five points to pull within a single point. The Warriors then scored 11 of the next 14 points, taking a commanding lead and eventually winning the set 25-16.  

The final set of the game showcased a fantastic attack from Wisconsin Lutheran as they hit .417 (12-2-24), which powered an 11-4 start that set them up to take the sweep over the Inferno. Alverno did pull themselves back into the game, as they trailed 13-9 after a kill from Elyse Kozkikowski (Watertown, Wis./Dodgeland), but the Warriors then rolled off a 6-0 run to rebuild their lead. They then finished the game on a 6-1 run to win 25-12 and earn the conference victory.

Lydia Biggin led the Warriors with 11.5 points on nine kills and two service aces, while Kayla Wigley did a little bit of everything for Wisconsin Lutheran, totaling nine kills, 16 digs, and 10.5 points. Lauren Charbonneau totaled 37 assists in the win, picking up helpers on 82% of the kills. 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. Dominican on October 4^th at noon
• 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