GALESBURG — Third-ranked Sauk Valley spoiled the Carl Sandburg College volleyball team’s home and Arrowhead Conference opener Thursday at John M. Lewis Gymnasium, sweeping the Chargers 25-21, 25-22, 25-16.
Sandburg (4-4, 0-1), facing its second top-10 opponent in three days, put itself in good position in each of the first two sets before the Skyhawks (10-0, 1-0) pulled away.
Sandburg trailed just 22-19 in the first set before Sauk Valley took four of the final six points, with three of those coming on kills by Iowa State transfer Michal Willman. In the second set, Chargers were tied at 20 and later trailed 23-22 before a Skyhawks kill and ace closed the set.
Sauk Valley raced to a 6-1 lead en route to winning the third set.
Carley Reeves-Eakins (Branson, Mo./Reeds Spring) led Sandburg with nine kills and was one of four Chargers with a block. Freshman Jadyn Swan (Peoria, Ill./Limestone) had seven kills and a .316 hitting percentage for Sandburg.
Libero Mackenzie Springsteen (Sperry, Iowa/Mediapolis) had 13 digs, and setter Carmyn Baldwin (Lewistown, Ill./Lewistown) had 24 assists for Sandburg. Sophomore Gracie Rademacker (Green Valley, Ill./Midwest Central) served two of the Chargers’ three aces.
Thursday’s match was the first indoor athletic event at Sandburg with fans in attendance since Feb. 27, 2020, a span of 554 days.
UP NEXT FOR SANDBURG
6 p.m. Tuesday vs. NJCAA Division I No. 11 Indian Hills
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Jadyn Swan