Anna 
The No. 4 Carthage College men’s volleyball team fought hard in its conference opener against No. 19 North Central (Ill.), but ultimately fell in a tight five-set match (21-25, 25-18, 23-25, 25-19, 10-15) on Wednesday in Naperville, Illinois.
Match Recap
Carthage took an early lead in the first set after a kill from Ryan Cholewinski made it 13-11. The Firebirds held their momentum, with Owen Hendricks delivering a key kill to secure the opening set, 25-21.
North Central responded in the second set, jumping to a 16-10 lead. Carthage attempted to rally with kills from Owen Otto and Ben Heise, but the Cardinals closed out the set, 25-18, to even the match.
A tightly contested third set saw North Central pull ahead late with a three-point surge. Heise kept Carthage within striking distance, but the Cardinals maintained their edge and took the set, 25-23.
Carthage bounced back in the fourth, using a solo block from Otto to grab an 11-7 advantage. A kill from Ruben Emmerich extended the lead to 22-17 before a North Central attack error forced a decisive fifth set.
The Cardinals took control in the final frame, scoring three unanswered points to gain a five-point cushion. Carthage attempted to close the gap with kills from Otto and Heise, but North Central sealed the match with a block and a final kill, winning 15-10.
Standout Performances
- Owen Otto led Carthage with 19 kills, followed by Ben Heise (15) and Owen Hendricks (12).
- Ryan Morey set a new career high with 51 assists.
- Hendricks also led the team defensively with 17 digs.
Coach’s Take
“Credit to North Central—they played hard and brought a lot of defensive energy,” said Carthage head coach. “I was really impressed with Owen Hendricks’ defense tonight. He found a way to keep plays alive consistently. We responded well in the fourth set, but we need to improve our serving and blocking if we want to reach our goals.”
What’s Next
Carthage looks to bounce back at home against No. 13 Loras on Saturday, March 22, at 3 p.m.
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