Box Score

Galesburg, IL – Nationally ranked Cornell College kept a long Midwest Conference winning streak intact with a 3-0 victory over the Prairie Fire on Tuesday at Memorial Gym.

The Rams, ranked #22 in NCAA Division III, won the first set 25-10.  Knox hung with Cornell early on, forcing a 7-7 tie on a kill by first-year Lauren Metcalf (Corona, CA, Centennial) and a ball handling error by the Rams.  Cornell answered with 12 straight points for a 19-7 lead and never looked back.

The Prairie Fire rallied in the second set after trailing 20-9 to close the gap to 24-21.  The 12-4 run included three service aces and a pair of kills by senior Kaylie Prince (Westminster, CO, Standley Lake).  The Rams (20-3, 6-0 MWC) scored the final point of the set on a service error by Knox.

Cornell scored nine of the first 12 points of the third set.  The Prairie Fire (3-17, 1-4 MWC) benefitted from back-to-back errors by the Rams that trimmed the deficit to 9-5.  Cornell used a 9-1 spurt that extended the lead to 18-6.  Knox couldn't draw any closer than 10 points the rest of the way.

The Rams won their 16th straight regular season Midwest Conference match dating back to last season when they rejoined the league.

Senior Amber Eisha (South Wilmington, IL, Gardner-South Wilmington) led Knox with six kills while Prince had five kills, three aces, and five digs.  Sophomore Casey Stachelski (Joliet, IL, Plainfield Central) contributed 10 assists and 11 digs.  First-year Madison Pierro (La Jolla, CA, Tri City Christian School) added 10 digs.

The Prairie Fire play their next two matches, both conference contests, on the road.  Knox faces Ripon College on Friday at 7:00 p.m. and Carroll University on Saturday at 1:00 p.m.

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