MONMOUTH, Ill. ­— The Monmouth College Invitational concluded on Saturday with Knox dropping a pair of matches to fall to 0-10 on the season. Central (7-4) took all three sets from the Prairie Fire, 25-14, 25-15, 25-11, while the host Scots (6-4) also swept the match at 25-15, 25-12, 25-15.

The Dutch never trailed in any of the three sets, asserting themselves from the start with five straight points to start the first match of the day for the Prairie Fire. Knox did collect seven kills in the first set, its most in any of the three sets, three courtesy of sophomore Mayra Diaz. Senior Caroline Wolters provided three kills in the second set to lead the Prairie Fire offense, but in the third the team managed just three kills as a unit.

Like Central, Monmouth did not allow Knox to take a lead at any time in the three sets, jumping out to an 8-1 edge to start play, though Wolters capped a four-point run to close the gap at 12-10. An early three-point run in the second set, fueled by kills from Diaz and sophomore Lydia Karli, tied the score, but the Scots quickly took control by winning the next six volleys. Three kills by Wolters was the Prairie Fire highlight in the third set.

• With six kills in the nightcap, Wolters finished the day with 10 total kills.
• Junior libero Sam Black provided 14 digs against Central.
• Knox served up eight aces in the two matches, three from first-year Zoe Thunhurst.

Knox next plays at the Millikin Tournament on Friday, Sept. 20 against Franklin College (5:15 p.m.) and Anderson (Ind.) University (7:30 p.m.) at the Griswold Center in Decatur, Illinois.