GALESBURG, Ill. — Coming off its first win of the season, the Knox College volleyball team made quick work of visiting Principia in the Prairie Fire's home opener, defeating the Panthers in straight sets, 25-12, 25-21 and 25-21. Knox improved to 2-16 on the season, while Principia is now 1-1 with a limited schedule.
The Prairie Fire came out of the blocks on fire, recording the first four points of the match and were never threatened of losing the lead. Sophomore Maria Jabor Jahn recorded five of her 10 kills of the night in that decisive first set with an attack percentage of .455 to lead the charge, while her classmate, Bri Holland, served up a trio of aces.
In the second set, Knox never trailed again, though the Panthers made things interesting with a late four-point run to close within 23-20. A pair of Principia attack errors proved fateful as the Fire secured the second set.
It took a bit for Knox to fend off the Panthers in the third and final set as Principia held the lead three times (as late as 17-16) with 10 ties along the way. But after a Prairie Fire service error tied the score at 19, Knox rattled off the next four point, starting with a kill by junior Elle Haddon and ending with another by senior Amelia Gamez. Though the Panthers closed to within one point, the Fire took the last two points, clinching the match on a resounding kill courtesy of junior Lydia Karli.
- Jabor Jahn led Knox with her 10 kills and .259 attack percentage for the match, while Haddon and sophomore Zoe Thunhurst added seven kills apiece, leaving the latter three kills shy of a triple-double (11 assists, 12 digs).
- Holland finished with four aces and a career-high 19 assists, and Gamez matched a personal-best with six kills for the third time this season.
- Senior libero Sam Black added 12 digs to the winning effort.
Knox is in the early stages of an eight-match home stand and will next play host to Blackburn College (5-8) on Tuesday, Sept. 30 at 6 p.m. The match will be streamed live with live stats available through PrairieFire.Knox.edu, the official website of Knox College Athletics.
