GALESBURG — The 17th-ranked Carl Sandburg College volleyball put itself on the verge of a second straight Arrowhead Conference title with a 25-13, 25-16, 25-14 Sophomore Night sweep of Illinois Valley on Tuesday night at John M. Lewis Gymnasium.
The Chargers (29-8, 8-1), who entered the match tied with Sauk Valley atop the conference standings, can repeat as Arrowhead champs with a win in their league finale Oct. 29 at Black Hawk. Sandburg is in search of its eighth conference title and first repeat championship since it won four in a row from 1984-87.
The Chargers hit .337 with a balanced offense that had nine players record a kill and four — all of them sophomores — put down at least five. Sophomore Peyton Bowman (Sciota, Ill./West Prairie) led the way with 10 kills in addition to a team-high three blocks plus two aces.
Tearaney Eads (Lincoln, Ill./Lincoln) added eight kills, Julia Vosburgh (Woodstock, Ill./Woodstock) had six and Mallory Flynn (Alexis, Ill./United) delivered five. Lexi Juergens (Pekin, Ill./Pekin) had a pair of kills in the third set, including one on match point.
Sophomore setter Cora Vyhnanek (Colchester, Ill./West Prairie) had 31 assists, while sophomore libero Emily Bloomer (Burlington, Iowa/Burlington) picked up 10 digs and served three aces.
The Eagles (4-19, 0-9) led for just two points in the match, at 1-0 and 3-2 in the third set.
UP NEXT FOR SANDBURG
Friday and Saturday at the Parkland Tournament in Champaign.
- Noon Friday vs. No. 1 Parkland
- 4 p.m. Friday vs. Lake Land
- 11 a.m. Saturday vs. Wabash Valley
- 3 p.m. Saturday vs. Lincoln Land
