St. Norbert College’s women’s volleyball squad began its Iowa road trip with a tough non‑conference matchup against Cornell College on Thursday night at the Small Athletic and Wellness Center in Mount Vernon, Iowa. The Green Knights were swept in three straight sets, falling 25‑17, 25‑21 and 25‑20 to the Rams.
First set: Cornell pulls ahead early
The opening set saw Cornell jump to a 17‑10 lead before St. Norbert rallied with a 6‑2 run. A kill by senior Anna Kudick trimmed the deficit to 21‑17, but a series of attacking errors by the Green Knights allowed Cornell to close the set at 25‑17.
Second set: A brief surge, then errors cost the Knights
St. Norbert answered back in the second set, with Kudick and sophomore Gracie Buss delivering key kills that brought the Rams within four points at 19‑15. However, five consecutive errors by Cornell tied the score at 20‑20. The Rams recovered, stringing together a 5‑1 run to take the set 25‑21.
Third set: Cornell finishes the sweep
The final set was tightly contested. The Green Knights held a slim 12‑11 lead before Cornell rallied to regain control. A late push by St. Norbert narrowed the gap to 22‑19, but Cornell sealed the match with a decisive finish, winning the set 25‑20 and completing the sweep.
Statistical snapshot
St. Norbert’s offense struggled, hitting just .011 with 22 kills and 21 errors on 90 attempts. Kudick led the team with five kills, while Kayden Lamon and Kirsten Klatt each contributed four. Setter Keira Ashenfelter recorded eight assists. Defensively, Maddie Kitowski topped the dig count with nine, and Ashlynn Vande Voort added eight. Both Alli Clark and Lamon recorded three blocks each.
Cornell’s attack was more efficient, hitting .158 with 34 kills and 19 errors on 95 attempts. Freshman Ashlin Nottestad posted a match‑high ten kills, anchoring the Rams’ offense throughout the three sets.
Looking ahead
Although the opening loss was disappointing for the Green Knights, the team will use the experience to fine‑tune its rotations and reduce unforced errors as the season progresses. The Rams, now 2‑10 on the season, will look to build on the momentum from this win as they continue their conference schedule.
Both programs remain focused on development and competition, emphasizing the values of teamwork, perseverance, and sportsmanship that resonate with their campus communities.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
