November 10, 1997

VOLLEYBALL SEASON ENDS AT CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT

The 1997 fall season ended last Saturday for the Monmouth women's volleyball team as the Fighting Scots finished 1-2 in three matches at the Midwest Conference Tournament. The league tournament, based on a double-elimination format, was hosted by Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin and featured entries from all ten MWC schools.

Monmouth opened tournament action by dropping a 3-1 decision to Carroll College. It was the second time in three weeks Monmouth had lost to the Pioneers, who had defeated Monmouth at the Knox Invitational in late October. The two teams split the first two games, Carroll winning 15-7 and Monmouth countering with a 15-10 score, but the Pioneers carried the final two games 15-9 and 15-11 to advance in the championship bracket.

The Scots faced arch-rival Knox in the next round and soundly defeated the Prairie Fire, sweeping three straight games. Monmouth won by scores of 15-13, 15-10 and 15-12 to eliminate Knox from the tourney, earn a third match and keep hopes alive for a high place. However, it was Monmouth bowing out of the tournament in the next round as the Scots dropped a three-game decision to Grinnell. Monmouth had defeated Grinnell in divisional play but could not handle the Pioneers the second time, losing by scores of 15-4, 15-6 and 15-5.

Lake Forest won the team championship with a 3-1 final match decision over defending champion Illinois College (15-13, 15-6, 12-15, 15-7). St. Norbert defeated Carroll in four games for third-place honors and Grinnell swept Beloit in the consolation title match for fifth place.