After a five-game winning streak to start the month of October and becoming the tenth ranked team, the Madison College volleyball team found a bump in the road, starting with a loss to College of DuPage, 3-1 on Oct. 11.

The WolfPack started out slow falling behind, 10-5. They were able to fight back and close the gap at 18-15, but Dupage had a strong serve that wouldn’t let the ‘Pack grab the lead in the first set.

The second set started out better as the teams started out close with a 4-4 tie. But the Chaparrals were able to keep the WolfPack off balance with their serve. The kills that the ‘Pack did grab came off of long volleys, and Dupage hit back with quick kills regaining serve. The second was lost 25-14.

The third set saw some fire from the WolfPack as took the lead at 8-7 and didn’t give it back. Finally it looked like the ‘Pack found an answer to the Chaparrals serve winning the set 25-15.

The fourth set another do or die for the WolfPack was a tightly contested one. The teams found themselves tied multiple times 8-8 and 10-10. The WolfPack managed to get a lead 20-17 but it was a fight the whole way, Dupage wasn’t going to give the set away. Eventually the score was tied back up at 22, where Dupage took the lead again this time for good. Match point ended on a 24-22 drop in with no one to cover the area for the WolfPack.

Tiana Sackett had 12 kills and Paige Hostetler had 11 kills, while Maddie Scalissi had 17 digs in the game.

“We started off kind of OK then got a little rocky with our serve receive, then kind of got away from what we were working on all week, hitting shots and playing smart,” said Madison College coach Jeff Thomas.

Next up was the last regular season home game in Madison on Oct. 16. Sophomore night didn’t go as planned, as Madison College lost to rival Rock Valley College, 3-1.

The first two sets went to the Golden Eagles, as the WolfPack just wasn’t able to fight off their attack. Rock Valley had a killer spike this game that gave them a huge edge as the ‘Pack wasn’t able to dig out the attack.

In a third do-or-die set for the WolfPack it looked ugly at 14-5. A time out by Thomas ignited the WolfPack as the team looked completely different. The Golden Eagle killer spike was dug out multiple times by the WolfPack as they were able to get kills when they needed them. The third set went to the WolfPack, 25-18.

The fourth and set was a tightly contested one. Back and fourth both teams traded points keeping things close to see the score at 18-18. The ‘Pack took a lead at 21-18 looking to force the fifth and final set.

But the Golden Eagles fought back to tie the score at 24. Once again both teams traded points to a tie score of 26-26. The Golden Eagles eventually took the lead at 27 and then the match winning point at 28.

Tianna Sackett led the way in kills with 17 followed by Paige Hostetler with 15. Maddie Scalissi had 25 digs while Olivia Darkow had two aces.

It was a sour note for sophomores but they will remember their time at Madison College well.

“It’s been good, volleyball season was awesome here, I’m so glad I played,” said Maddie Scalissi

Olivia Darkow added that playing at Madison College was “a great time ,and the thing that made it so great was volleyball. I’ve learned so much through this sport on and off the court, and made some of my best friends, in the sport,” she said.

Standout Paige Hostetler was asked what the best thing was about being on the team.

“I would say probably the teammates coming to practice every day,” she said. “It makes college so much easier honestly because you know that everyone is going through the same thing and you always got people behind your back.”

The NJCAA Region IV Tournament Quarterfinal starts Wednesday Oct. 24.