Chargers fall short in home opener to No. 6 Cougars

GALESBURG — The Sandburg volleyball team had opportunities to close out the second and third sets but was unable to put away nationally ranked Illinois Central each time as the Chargers lost 25-21, 27-25, 29-27 in their home opener Thursday evening at John Lewis Gym.

Sandburg (6-2) earned set points in each of the final two sets, but the sixth-ranked Cougars clawed back to take each stanza. Both Chargers losses this season have come against ranked opponents.

Sandburg saved an ICC set point at 24-23 in the second as Grace Vyhnanek fed Ayla Cannon for a kill, and Cannon followed with a block to give the Chargers a 25-24 lead and a set point of their own. The Cougars, though, rattled off the next three points in a row to go up two sets to none.

Down 22-18 in the third, the Chargers won six of the next seven — capped by back-to-back Cannon kills — to earn another set point, but ICC once again kept Sandburg from closing out the set.

Sandburg warded off match points at 25-24 and 26-25, and the Chargers set up a set point of their own at 27-26 after a Taylor Wagner kill. Once again, however, ICC won the final three point to pull off the sweep.

Freshman Abigail Shaffer had five aces for the Chargers on 16 serves in the loss.

Natalie Burden had a team-best 11 kills on 30 attacks. Burden also had nine digs. Cannon finished with eight kills, two aces and a pair of blocks. Wagner and Olivia Falborg each put down six kills, with Falborg also totaling four blocks.

Vyhnanek had 30 assists for the Chargers, and libero Madeline Mooney picked up a team-leading 20 digs.

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