Storm rally past Vikings for 15th win of the season, best start since 1991

PLATTEVILLE, Wis. – The Simpson College women's volleyball team added another five-set win to its resume Friday, topping North Park before falling to RV Wis.-Platteville in the second match of the day.

The Storm (15-4) once again showed grit, rallying to defeat North Park (16-4) in five for their sixth five-set victory of the season. After forcing a decisive set with a 26-24 win in extras, Simpson closed strong with a 15-10 finish to complete the comeback. The Storm hit .268 as a team, their third-highest mark of the year, to reach 15 wins in their first 18 matches for the first time since 1991.

In the nightcap, Simpson and Wis.-Platteville traded 25-21 wins in the opening two sets before the Pioneers (11-8) eked out a narrow 25-22 third-set victory. The Storm fought to extend the match but fell 25-18 in the fourth.

GAME ONE LEADERS

• Peyton Mitchell: 13 kills (.321)
• Jada Schmidt: 11 kills, 15 digs, 3 blocks, 3 aces
• Emily Williams: 11 kills (.310), 5 digs, 3 aces
• Lucia Gómez de Luis: 11 kills, 3 digs
• Hannah Jansen: 19 digs, 4 assists
• Morgan DenBeste: 21 assists, 4 kills, 4 digs, 2 aces

GAME TWO LEADERS

• Jada Schmidt: 9 kills, 18 digs, 4 blocks, 2 aces
• Lucia Gómez de Luis: 9 kills, 4 digs
• Emily Williams: 8 kills, 6 digs
• Peyton Mitchell: 8 kills
• Hannah Jansen: 15 digs, 4 assists
• Morgan DenBeste: 28 assists, 5 digs, 3 kills, 2 blocks

NOTES

• Simpson's five-set win over North Park was the team's third consecutive five-set win and sixth of the season. The Storm are 6-1 when playing to a fifth, only coming up short against then-No. 7 WashU.
• With the win over North Park, Simpson improved to 15-3 overall. That's the program's best record through 18 games since 1991.
• With one denial against the Vikings, Peyton Mitchell reached 250 career blocks.

UP NEXT
Simpson remains on the road to face Wartburg and Coe in American Rivers Conference action next weekend.