TOPEKA, Kan. - The William Jewell volleyball team split the opening day of the 2021 season with a 3-1 loss to No. 15 Northern State before defeating Cameron University by an identical score.

Game 1: Northern State
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Cardinals opened the match, and the season on a high note, winning set one over the nationally ranked Northern State, 25-23. Jewell took advantage of kills of two errors by the Wolves before a service ace from Katie Paine put them up four early. With the Cardinals leading 21-16 late in the set, Northern State rallied to tie things up at 22-all. Kills by Tatum Ernt and Lily Johnson sealed the set, 25-23. 
• Set two belonged to the Wolves as NSU won the final seven points of the set to win 25-16, and even the match at one. 
• After falling behind by four midway through the third set, the Cardinals put up a rally, going on a 7-5 run to pull within two, 23-21, but a kill and Jewell error gave Northern State the set, 25-21. 
• Jewell fell behind early in the set four and could not recover, falling 25-13. 

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Johnson and Bella LaPorta led the Cardinals with eight kills while the Tatum Ernt had three blocks. 
• Samantha Thompson was tops with 16 assists, followed closely by Meghan Schneider with 15. 
• The Cardinals hit .242 in the opening set but were held to a .108 attack percentage for the match while Northern State hit .324 as a team. 

Game 2: Cameron
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Tied at five in the opener, Jewell went on a 9-3 run on two kills from Paityn Hardison  and aided by six errors by the Aggies. Cameron pulled back within three but Jewell won eight of the final 10 points, capped by another from Hardison, who hit .417 in the first set. 
• The Cardinals struggled to find a rhythm in the second set as Cameron jumped out to a 20-14 lead. Jewell tied the set at 20, but scored only twice more. 
• The Cards responded immediately, breaking out to a 14-6 advantage in set three, behind three kills from Hardison. Tatum Ernt got on a roll late, recording two kills before a Haidan Baade ace ended the set, 25-13. 
• Set four did not start off well for Jewell, falling behind by as many as nine early. Three kills from Bella LaPorta helped lead a Cardinal rally late, pulling within three. After a service error, to make it set point in favor of Cameron, Jewell won the final five points to come from behind and win the set 26-24, and the match, 3-1. 

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Johnson led the Cardinals with 11 kills and a career-high six blocks. Hardison finished with 10 kills. 
• Hannah Cope dished out a game-high 29 assists. 
• Jordan Collard finished with a career-high 20 digs and two assists. 
• Jewell held Cameron to a .030 attack percentage and boasted six service aces . 

UP NEXT
The Cardinals finish action at the Washburn Invitational on Saturday as they take on Colorado-Colorado Springs at 9 a.m. followed by Minot State at 2 p.m.