Box Score

Galesburg, IL – The Prairie Fire dropped a three-set Midwest Conference match against Lawrence University at Memorial Gymnasium on Saturday afternoon.

Lawrence prevailed in a close first game 25-23, and then used big runs in the next two sets to win them 25-11 and 25-16, respectively, and defeat Knox 3-0 in the match.

The first set featured seven ties and the lead changed hands four times before it was settled.

The Prairie Fire trailed 14-10 when a kill by first-year Lauren Metcalf (Corona, CA, Centennial) kicked off a run of five straight points that included an ace by senior Amber Eisha (South Wilmington, IL, Gardner-South Wilmington) and another kill by Metcalf and gave Knox a 15-14 lead.  The Vikings (10-16, 5-5 MWC) scored four of the next five points to reclaim the lead at 18-16.  The Prairie Fire ran off five unanswered points, highlighted by two aces from Metcalf and two kills by senior Kaylie Prince (Westminster, CO, Standley Lake), to go back on top 21-18.  However, Lawrence used a 7-2 surge to come back and win the set.

Knox (3-21, 1-8 MWC) never seemed to recover from the tough loss in the first set.  After staying close early in the second game, the Prairie Fire saw a 9-7 deficit grow to 23-10 – including a run of nine straight points after Knox trailed by just four at 14-10.  The only point for Fire the rest of the way was courtesy of a service error by Lawrence.

Knox and the Lawrence were even at 13-13 in the third set when the Vikings pulled away.  Lawrence scored three consecutive points to take a 16-13 lead.  Knox halted LU the run at three on a kill by Prince and trailed by just two, 16-14.  But like the second set, the Vikings scored nine of the next 11 points to close out the third game and win the match.

Prince had nine kills and 12 digs for the Prairie Fire.  Metcalf contributed six kills, six digs, and three aces.  Sophomore Casey Stachelski (Joliet, IL, Plainfield Central) posted double figure assists and digs with 16 and 11, respectively, and first-year Madison Pierro (La Jolla, CA, Tri City Christian School) had a match-high 18 digs.

Knox will recognize its two seniors Eisha and Prince prior to the Senior Night match against Monmouth College (9-14, 4-5 MWC) on Tuesday at Memorial Gym.  The teams will square off at 7:00 and the match will be streamed live online at http://client.stretchinternet.com/client/knox.portal#/

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