NAPERVILLE, Ill. - Senior outside hitter Dana Voltolina (St. Charles, Ill.) contributed five of her team-high 15 kills in the decisive fourth set as the Carroll University women's volleyball team defeated Nebraska Wesleyan 26-24, 25-14, 20-25, 25-23 in the opening round of the Tiffany Robinson Memorial Tournament at North Central's Gregory Arena on Friday afternoon.
It was the ninth nonconference victory of the season and snapped a string of three straight dual losses for Carroll, which came out energized in the first two sets en route to improving to 9-15 overall.
Sophomore outside hitter Kylie Mueller (Fox Lake, Ill.) followed with 10 kills with sophomore outside hitter Sydney Wilkins (Portage, Ind.) collecting eight kills and three blocks for the Pioneers, who had a dominant .364 hitting percentage powered by 15 kills in the momentum-building opening set.
Freshman outside hitter Sam Penzkowski (Racine, Wis.) had three service aces and freshman middle blocker Melanie Barrios (Bolingbrook, Ill.) chipped in a team-best five blocks for Carroll, which generated 46 kills, six aces, 10 blocks, 57 digs and 43 assists in the contest. Sophomore outside hitter Cassidy Mrotek (Manitowoc, Wis.) had 11 digs with freshman middle blocker Rachel Noonan (Crystal Lake, Ill.) adding five kills and three blocks.
Sophomore setter Emma Przeslicke (Evergreen Park, Ill.) added 17 digs and 33 assists for the Pioneers, who had a .325 hitting percentage behind the strength of 15 kills in the fourth set to close out the match with authority.
Junior outside hitter Kierra Harder had 13 kills, nine digs and two aces for Nebraska Wesleyan, which dropped to 8-11 overall.