BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - The second-ranked Illinois Wesleyan University women's volleyball team visits Elmhurst University Wednesday, Oct. 7, for a College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin contest. The Titans visit R.A. Faganal Hall after a week at home with first serve slotted for 7 p.m.
IWU jumped two spots to No. 2, marking its highest ranking of the season in the week five American Volleyball Coaches Poll, announced Oct. 6. IWU's ranking also ties the program's highest all-time, previously set last season. The Titans snagged two first-place votes as UW-Oshkosh took the top spot with 1,891 points and 71 of the 76 available first-place votes.
The Green and White is off to one of its best starts in program history at 14-1, the same record it had a season ago through its first 15 matches. The Titans have won seven in a row including last week's wins over Wheaton College and Millikin University. IWU swept MU en route to its Homecoming victory.
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The IWU attack jumped up the national ranks in kills per set over the week, sitting second in the country with 13.76, trailing only Buena Vista. The setting duo of senior Sophia Feeney (Bloomington, Ill.-Normal Community) and sophomore Lauren O'Brien (Bloomington, Ill.-Central Catholic) have had plenty of arms to feed with junior Alex Bardouniotis (St. Charles, Ill.-St. Charles North) leading the charge. The returning All-American has 3.47 kills per set and is the only Titan with over 200 kills on the season at 201. Sophomore Carly Whitaker (Morton, Ill.-Morton) follows the junior with 2.92 kills per set and 143 total hammers. Feeney put together eight straight performances of 20-plus assists for 326 helpers on the season. O'Brien has orchestrated 240 assists and 4.8 per set. With the help of the duo, the Titans sit top-10 in the country in assists per set with 12.38.
Junior Alysa Lawton (Elmhurst, Ill.-IC Catholic Prep) has maintained her defensive prowess with 5.57 digs per set, sitting inside the top-15 nationally. Bardouniotis and junior Graci Junis (Morton, Ill.-Morton) have contributed on the defensive side with 178 and 168, respectively. The net presence from middles senior Eleanor Palmer (Elmhurst, Ill.-DePaul College Prep) and junior Juliana Valdez (Palos Heights, Ill.-Marist) have collected 45 blocks.
In an all-time series that has Elmhurst leading 29-24, the Green and White has dominated the series over the past decade. The Titans are 9-1 in the last 10 matches against the Bluejays with four sweeps, including two in the past two seasons. Elmhurst gained its advantage winning 14 consecutive matches from 1999-2006. In Elmhurst, IWU is 9-13 and has won five of six as the visitors against the Bluejays. A season ago, Illinois Wesleyan swept EU behind 15 service aces. O'Brien led the charge from the line with five aces, while Bardouniotis and Whitaker logged six kills a piece. Palmer contributed a big day with five kills and three blocks.
