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# North Central College tops Millikin University, 3-0
- URL: https://www.thebackrowvb.com/north-central-college-tops-millikin-university-3-0/
- Published: 2026-09-24T22:08:53.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-25T20:07:01.000Z
- Author: Aaron Claessens
- Tags: North Central College, Feature, Women's

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North Central College swept Millikin 3-0 (25-21, 25-17, 25-22) on Tuesday, September 23 at Gregory Arena in Naperville, Ill., picking up the Cardinals' first CCIW win of the season in front of 217 fans.

North Central held a clear edge across the board, finishing with a .189 attack percentage to Millikin's .113 and a 38-31 advantage in kills. The most decisive gap came at the service line, where the Cardinals tallied 10 aces to the Big Blue's 3\. North Central also held a substantial edge in digs, 46-36, helping them control the defensive end throughout. Millikin showed its best offensive efficiency in Set 3 (.219), but it wasn't enough to change the outcome.

Abby Buban led all players with 14 kills and added 8 digs for North Central, while Lauren Benson contributed 9 kills and a match-high 3 blocks. Ava Hoff rounded out the Cardinals' attack with 6 kills, 4 aces, and 9 digs. For Millikin, Maggye Smith paced the Big Blue with 9 kills, and Francesca Brandonisio anchored the back row with 15 digs.

Ava Hoff served through a 9-point run in Set 2 that extended North Central's lead from 2-1 to 2-11, effectively putting that frame out of reach early.

The win moves North Central to 5-4 overall and 1-0 in CCIW play, while Millikin falls to 8-6 and 0-1 in conference.

Box score: [https://northcentralcardinals.com/sports/womens-volleyball/stats/2026/millikin-university/boxscore/16903](https://northcentralcardinals.com/sports/womens-volleyball/stats/2026/millikin-university/boxscore/16903?ref=thebackrowvb.com)  

Photos by Papa Claes Visuals.