Palos Heights, Ill. – The Stars began the day with a hard-fought loss to Madonna University but bounced back thrillingly later in the afternoon with a gritty five-set victory over St. Francis (Ill.).
Madonna 3, Stephens 1
In their first match, the Stars fell 1-3 to a strong Madonna squad.
Senior Jamie Russell led the Stars with a stellar performance, registering eight kills, and four blocks. Makenna Bollinger contributed nine kills of her own, while Izzy Benson added 10.
After dropping the first set 25-16, the Stars found their rhythm in the second (25-22) with Emma Whitson orchestrating the offense with 23 assists. Stephens' defense tightened up as well, with Benson and Russell forming a formidable block at the net.
Unfortunately, despite Stephens' best efforts, Madonna's offensive line proved too much in the third and fourth sets. The Crusaders took the final two sets 22-25 and 14-25, respectively.
Stephens 3, St. Francis (Ill.) 2
The Stars shook off the loss for their second match of the day and delivered a gutsy performance against St. Francis (Ill.), rallying from a 0-2 deficit to win in five sets. Down two sets after a sluggish start (20-25, 19-25), Stephens regrouped and fought back to claim the third set 25-23, sparking a comeback.
Russell once again led the team, putting down 15 kills and four service aces, while Jatnna Pena-Perez anchored the defense with 30 digs and added three aces of her own. Benson also continued her strong play with nine kills and two blocks, and Bollinger added 13 kills and two blocks as well.
The fourth set saw Stephens edge out a 26-24 win, forcing a decisive fifth set. With momentum on their side, the Stars executed down the stretch, winning the final frame 15-11 to complete the comeback victory.
The Stars will return to AMC conference play on Tuesday, Oct. 15, when they face Williams Baptist at 6 p.m. in Silverthorne Arena. The match will also feature Stephens College's Faculty & Staff Appreciation Night, adding extra excitement as the Stars look to build on their recent success.
