ELMHURST, Ill. – The Elmhurst volleyball team dropped its final CCIW match of the 2018 season, falling to North Park University in a marathon five-set contest.
 
North Park (16-11, 3-3 CCIW) rallied from a 2-1 deficit to top Elmhurst (10-18, 2-6 CCIW) 25-19, 21-25, 21-25, 25-23, 15-12.
 
The opening set was even at 17-17 before North Park used a 4-0 run to take control. The Vikings opened up a 22-18 lead before putting the set away at 25-19. North Park hit .292 in the opening set with 19 kills and five errors.
 
Elmhurst bounced back in the second, turning a 15-14 lead into a 22-16 advantage with a 7-2 run. The Bluejays put the set away at 25-21 after hitting .263 for the set with 16 kills and six errors.
 
The third set was even at 17-all before the Bluejays rattled off a 5-0 run to open up a 22-17 cushion. The Vikings closed to within one at 22-21, but the Bluejays scored the final three points to go up 2-1.
 
Elmhurst fell behind 19-15 in the fourth set before mounting a late rally. The Bluejays trimmed the deficit down to one at 22-21, but North Park won the next two points to take a set point. Elmhurst fought off the first two set points before a Kelly Clinton kill gave the Vikings the set at 25-23.
 
The fifth set was back and forth as both teams traded leads early. North Park led 8-6 at the side change, but a block from Payton Froats and Katie Davis tied the set at 10-10. North Park rattled off two straight points to take a 12-10 lead. The Bluejays pulled to within a point at 12-11 and again at 13-12, but a pair of errors ended the set at 15-13 and gave North Park the match.
 
Elmhurst hit .194 for the match with 64 kills and 26 errors in 196 swings. Kayla Mast led the Bluejays with 16 kills and 14 digs in the loss. Bailey Brouwer chipped in with 11 kills while Emily Duis finished with 10. Alexandra Tyggum finished with nine kills while Payton Froats totaled eight and three blocks. Valerie Thomas led the squad in digs with 29 while Kelly Townsend tallied 46 assists and 16 digs for the Bluejays.
 
North Park finished the contest hitting .231 with 60 kills and 17 errors in 186 attempts. Niki Ahlstrand powered the Vikings with 21 kills while Kelly Clinton and 12 kills and Louie Peralta and Lauren Wiltsie finished with 10 kills apiece. Taryn Pohl tallied 47 assists and 13 digs in the win for the Vikings.
 
Elmhurst plays at the University of Chicago on Friday, October 26.