Box Score

Jacksonville, IL – The Prairie Fire won their Midwest Conference opener 3-1 on the road against Illinois College on Tuesday night.

Knox (3-11, 1-0 MWC) got off to a good start against the Lady Blues by taking the first set 25-20.  IC bounced back to win the next set 25-22.  The Prairie Fire prevailed in a close third set 25-23 and clinched the match with a 25-20 victory in set four.

The win is the second straight for Knox and the first against Illinois College in more than two decades. 

Knox defeated IC 15-7, 7-15, 15-9, 15-13 during the 1990 regular season and again 15-4, 15-2 in the Midwest Conference Tournament quarterfinals that year.  The team finished the season with a 12-6 overall record and a 4-1 mark in league play following losses to Beloit College in the tournament's semifinals and Cornell College in the third place match.

In addition, the victory by the Prairie Fire snapped a 45-match MWC losing streak that dated back to a 3-2 win at Carroll on September 26, 2008.

Meanwhile, the loss was the fifth in a row for the Lady Blues (2-11, 0-1 MWC).

Prairie Fire first-year Lauren Metcalf (Corona, CA, Centennial) and senior Kaylie Prince (Westminster, CO, Standley Lake) were a potent 1-2 punch attacking IC.

Metcalf, after putting down 13 kills in a win against Eureka College last week, established a new season-best 15 kills at Illinois College.  Prince added 14 kills, three services aces, and eight digs.

Sophomore Casey Stachelski (Joliet, IL, Plainfield Central) had 36 assists, four aces, and 10 digs for Knox.  Senior Amber Eisha (South Wilmington, IL, Gardner-South Wilmington) and first-years Madison Pierro (La Jolla, CA, Tri City Christian School) and Jakeiyah Triplett (Chicago, IL, Westinghouse) also recorded double-figure digs for Knox.  Pierro led with 24, Eisha had 12, and Triplett 10.

The Prairie Fire try for their third consecutive victory and second in league play against Grinnell College (0-16) at home on September 28.

The match will be streamed online at http://client.stretchinternet.com/client/knox.portal#/

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