Late momentum not enough in Pride 3-0 loss to Central College

Late momentum not enough in Pride 3-0 loss to Central College
Box Score
September 10, 2024

DUBUQUE, Iowa - In their penultimate non-conference match of the 2024 season, the Clarke University women's volleyball team was unable to get back into the win column in a 3-0 loss to Central College in the Kehl Center on Tuesday night.

The Dutch were able to pull away in each of the first two sets at scores of 25-20, and 25-21 but Clarke put up a strong start to the third set, leading 8-1 early and held a set point three times at a 24-21 lead, but could not close the third set to keep the match going, eventually losing 29-27 in extra points.

The Pride were hindered by a less efficient attack than the one Central produced against CU as the Dutch finished the match with a .230 hitting percentage where Clarke ended the match at .083 as they finished the first and third sets below .100 and the first set in the negatives.

Where some of their front row inefficiencies hurt them, Clarke's back row attempted to pick up the slack, finishing the three-set match with 67 digs, six more than Central, led by a 16-dig effort from senior Rylie Bohanan as she was one of three members of the Pride with double digit digs as Kortney Harms had 12 of her own and Madison Peck added 10 digs.

Harms was once again able to produce strong stats in all three primary areas of her game, playing as a setter in the back row, and a right side attacker in the front row, the sophomore from Flanagan, Ill. recorded her second triple-double of the season, her first in a three-set match, with 10 kills, 11 assists, and those 12 digs.

Mia Jaeger, setting opposite of Harms, finished with the team-high of 18 assists and was one dig away from a double-double at nine as Harms was Jaeger's primary target then Maya Watters was able to put a match-high 12 kills away for a .147 hitting percentage.

Tying the 12 kills for Watters was Paige Sexton of the Dutch as she only had one error on 37 total swings for a .297 hitting percentage while adding seven digs, two block assists, an assist, and an ace for CC.

Clarke women's volleyball will be off for the next 10 days before beginning Heart of America Athletic Conference play on Saturday, Sept. 21 when they travel to the Kansas City area for matches against MidAmerica Nazarene University on Sept. 21 and then the following day against Baker University.