St. Bonifacius, MN — Crown volleyball returned home Saturday afternoon for a UMAC match up against conference rival University of Northwestern, hosting the Eagles as part of Dig Pink Day.
The Polars came out ready to compete, and the opening set delivered all the energy of a rivalry match up. Crown and Northwestern traded points throughout a hectic first set that featured four challenges and plenty of momentum swings. The Polars pushed the Eagles deep into extra points, but Northwestern was able to edge out the opener, 29-27.
After the tightly contested first set, the Eagles found their rhythm and carried momentum into the next two frames. Northwestern took the second set 25-14 before closing out the match with a 25-15 win in the third.
Freshman Lily Duquaine added another strong performance to her impressive first-year campaign, finishing with 10 kills and adding two service aces. Her double-digit effort helped pace the Polars offensively and gave Crown a steady presence at the net. The match also gave the Polars another opportunity to compete in front of their home crowd during a meaningful afternoon centered around Dig Pink Day, bringing awareness and support to the fight against breast cancer.
Crown will now turn its focus to the road, as the Polars travel to Mankato on Wednesday for a UMAC match up against Bethany Lutheran. First serve against the Vikings is set for 7 p.m.
