MONMOUTH, Illinois – The Prairie Fire ended a long drought against Midwest Conference rival Monmouth College with a victory on the road Tuesday night.

Knox defeated the Fighting Scots 3-1 (25-23, 25-23, 25-27, 25-22).  Senior Katie White (Peoria, IL, Notre Dame) sealed the win with a kill for the final Prairie Fire point in the fourth set.

The victory is the first for Knox against Monmouth in volleyball since a 3-2 non-conference triumph in the 14th match of the 1997 season.  The Prairie Fire also denied Scots head coach Kari Shimmin – who had never lost to Knox – her 300th career victory.

Knox (4-24, 2-7 MWC) and Monmouth played through 24 ties, including nine in the first set, and nine lead changes in the four close games.  The only set that did not have a lead change was the fourth, which was tied three times.

First-year hitters Rose Griffin (Maryland Heights, MO, Rosati-Kain) and Kyleigh Guthals (Clovis, NM, Clovis) led the Prairie Fire with 16 and 10 kills, respectively.  They also recorded 16 digs apiece.  Sophomore Nicole Heckman (Chicago, IL, Chicago Latin) added a season-high eight kills and hit .353, junior Casey Stachelski (Joliet, IL, Plainfield Central) had 39 assists and 18 digs, and sophomore Holly Bieber (Chicago, IL, Walter Payton College Prep) recorded a team-high 23 assists for Knox.

Quincy Merritt led the Fighting Scots (7-21, 1-8 MWC) with 13 kills and Kylie Gerhardt tallied 23 assists.

The Prairie Fire will try to close out the season with another Midwest Conference win on Saturday, November 1 at Grinnell College.  The match starts at 1:00 p.m.