September 23, 2025

Kirkwood Goes 3-1 at Parkland

Champaign, IL – The No. 4-ranked Kirkwood Eagles volleyball team faced one of their toughest stretches of the season this past weekend at the Parkland Tournament, going 3-1 against high-level competition and improving to 15-1 overall.

Statement Win Over No. 6 Parkland

Kirkwood opened the tournament with a marquee matchup against the host and No. 6-ranked Parkland Cobras. In a back-and-forth five-set thriller, the Eagles prevailed 3-2 (19-25, 25-14, 25-16, 19-25, 15-11).

Marissa Cahoy paced the offense with 15 kills (.233) and added a solo block.
Carly Wazac (14 kills, .297) and Sydney Brandmeyer (11 kills, .276) delivered key swings down the stretch.
Kaci Johnson set the tone with 20 assists, two aces, and 19 digs, while libero Natalee Hartman anchored the back row with 26 digs.

Sweep of Danville

The Eagles carried momentum into their second match, dismantling Danville in straight sets (25-9, 25-16, 25-14).

Johnson dominated with 10 kills (.562), 18 assists, and three aces for a 13-point performance.
Josie Bryan added 10 kills (.450), and Wazac chipped in nine kills (.533).
Defensively, Kirkwood posted 10 total team blocks to stifle Danville's attack.

First Loss of the Season vs. No. 3 Heartland

Saturday morning brought the Eagles their first blemish of the year, as they fell in another five-set battle to No. 3 Heartland (21-25, 9-25, 25-19, 25-22, 11-15).

Wazac was a bright spot with 14 kills and three blocks.
Johnson ran the offense with 13 kills, 23 assists, and an ace.
Madalyn Boyer provided balance at the net with six kills and three block assists.
Despite storming back to win sets three and four, Kirkwood couldn't quite complete the comeback in the deciding frame.

Bounce-Back Against Wabash

The Eagles showed their resilience by closing the weekend with a 3-1 win over Wabash (25-27, 25-13, 25-16, 25-12).

Brandmeyer led the way with 14 kills on an efficient .387 hitting percentage.
Yasmine Sell tallied a team-high 15 kills, while Emily Naughton had one of her best matches with five kills and six aces.
Johnson directed the attack with 21 assists, and Avery Knoop dished out 28 assists while adding two aces.

What's Next

With their record now at 15-1, the Eagles turn their focus back to ICCAC play. Kirkwood travels to Creston, IA, this Wednesday for a conference matchup against the Southwestern Spartans.