BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - A strong start was not enough for the Illinois Wesleyan University volleyball team against No. 8-ranked University of Chicago Wednesday night, Sept. 11, at the Shirk Center. The Titans hung tough with the Maroons in the first two sets but ran out of steam as Chicago took the match 3-0 (25-20, 25-20, 25-15).

IWU hit a whopping .316 in the first set and fought back to even the score at 15 all, but UC went on to close it out with an 8-3 run to go up 1-0 in the match. The Maroons carried the momentum over to the second set using a 5-0 run to distance themselves from the Titans for a 25-20 win in the second, before completing the sweep with a 25-15 tally in the third.

Freshman Evy Makris (Orland Park, Ill.-Sandburg) finished the night with a team-best seven kills to go along with two blocks. Sophomore Amber Juarez (Bloomington, Ill.-Normal U High) added a team-high 13 digs, while freshman Grace Sanders (Bloomington, Ill.-Bloomington HS) and sophomore Makenna Jacoby (Shorewood, Ill.-Minooka Community HS) chipped in 11 and seven, respectively.

The Titans enjoy a week-long break before opening up College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin play Wednesday night, Sept. 18, against Carthage College. First serve is set for 7 p.m. in the Shirk Center.