CHICAGO, Ill. – Sam Szarmach and Melissa Nava combined for 22 kills to lead the Elmhurst volleyball team to a three-set victory over Cornell College at the University of Chicago Tournament.
 

Elmhurst (16-2) turned an 11-11 tie in the opening set, into a 17-13 advantage, but Cornell surged back with a 6-2 run to pull even at 19-19. Three straight Elmhurst points gave the Bluejays a 22-19 edge and Elmhurst put the set away on a Hannah Nimrick kill.

Elmhurst raced out to a 6-1 lead in the second set and never trailed.  The Bluejays led by as many as seven points before Cornell pulled to within two at 20-18. Elmhurst closed the set on a 5-2 run to open up a two set advantage.

The third set was back and forth until Elmhurst used a 10-4 run to build a 15-9 advantage. Cornell closed to within two points late in the set at 20-18 but the Bluejays responded with a 4-2 run to set up match point. Cornell fought off two match points before a kill from Szarmach sealed the set and the win for the Bluejays.

Elmhurst hit .203 for the match with 46 kills, 21 errors in 123 attacks. Cornell hit .125 with 29 kills and 15 errors in 112 attempts.

Szarmach led the Elmhurst attack with 12 kills and seven digs while Nava pounded down 10 kills and totaled five blocks in the victory. Alli Rodgers added eight kills and nine digs while Nimrick totaled six kills, 34 assists and eight digs. Shannon Burns chipped in with five kills for the Bluejays. Amy Schryver tallied a team-leading 16 digs while Peggy Clemens added 13 for the Bluejays.

Taylor Dicus and Diamond Boyd led Cornell in the loss with seven kills apiece. 

Elmhurst starts CCIW competition by hosting Augustana College on Tuesday, September 30.