BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – The Illinois Wesleyan University volleyball team is back in action Wednesday night, Sept. 18, as the Titans play host to No. 1 Carthage College in their College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin opener. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m. inside Shirk Center.
 
IWU has made significant strides this season, but has played one of the toughest schedules in the country thus far. Of the Titans first eight opponents, five have been ranked inside the AVCA Top-25, while one other has consistently received votes.
 
Illinois Wesleyan looks for its first win of the season Wednesday night. Meanwhile, Carthage is out to an 11-1 start and has won six straight. The midweek CCIW clash will mark the 58th all-time meeting between the conference foes, with IWU trailing in the series, 27-30.
 
Offensively, the Titans have seen a slew of underclassmen step up and contribute. Sophomore Dana Kiszkowski (Schaumburg, Ill.-Schaumburg HS) is hitting a team-best .141. She ranks third on the team with 34 kills. Meanwhile, the freshmen trio of Grace Sanders (Bloomington, Ill.-Bloomington HS), Riley Epperson (Payson, Ill.-Payson Seymour HS), and Evy Makris (Orland Park, Ill.-Sandburg HS) continue to grow as contributors. Sanders is second on the team with 40 kills, while Epperson and Makris add 32 and 31, respectively.
 
Defensively, sophomore Amber Juarez (Bloomington, Ill.-Normal U High) has racked up 89 digs and has averaged 14.2 digs per match over the last five contests. Juarez is second to junior Jessica McCall (Wayne, Ill.-Wheaton St. Francis HS), who leads the Titans with 92 digs. Epperson and Makris have made their presence known at the net defensively, as the duo has tallied 15 and 11 blocks, respectively.
 
First serve for the CCIW opener is scheduled for 7 p.m. Fans unable to attend the match can follow along via live stats or live stream by click here.