CHICAGO, Ill. - The Saint Mary's volleyball team was on the short end of a 3-0 (25-16, 25-15, 25-13) final against No. 20 ranked North Park on Saturday afternoon.

 

The Belles matched the Vikings point for point to start play. Caroline Carens picked up an early kill, and North Park called a timeout with the score tied 6-6. The Vikings took the lead with back-to-back points before Cali Allen put down a kill to make it 8-7. Another Allen kill put the Belles within a point at 9-8 moments later. Saint Mary's continued to keep tight to North Park as a Delaney Martin kill followed two points later by a service error made it a two-point difference at both 13-11 and 14-12. A quick five-point run by the Vikings gave North Park a 19-12 lead. Saint Mary's was unable to respond with a sustained run of their own, and the Vikings claimed the opening set 25-16.

 

Saint Mary's fought back from a 6-1 deficit in the second set to make it 9-7. Delaney Martin and Caroline Carens each had a kill, and Shani Russel and Shay Theile teamed up for a block to get the Belles within two points of the Vikings. Another 6-1 spurt by North Park pushed the home side's advantage to 16-8. Back-to-back kills by Cali Allen and Carens gave the Belles consecutive points. North Park, however, did not allow Saint Mary's to go on a momentum-shifting run as the teams traded points down the stretch in a 25-15 second set.

 

The Belles responded to an early deficit in the third set with a couple of quick spurts to pull within two at 9-7. Kennedy Oselka had three kills, and Caroline Carens added two kills to put the Belles right back in the mix. North Park responded with eight consecutive points for a 17-7 lead, and Saint Mary's was unable to counter with a run in a 25-13 final.

 

Cali Allen and Caroline Carens each put away five kills to pace the offensive efforts. Allen added a match-high 10 digs, and Carens had a solo block on the defensive side. Delaney Martin and Kennedy Oselka each posted three kills, and Mia Shields picked up nine digs. Shani Russell registered 18 assists with four digs. Shay Theile had a service ace and a block assist, and Russell added a block assist. 

 

The Belles (4-9) are back to conference competition on Tuesday, October 10 when they host No. 3 ranked Hope at 7:00 p.m.