DECATUR, Ill. - The Illinois Wesleyan University volleyball team won its third straight match against Millikin University Friday night, Sept. 27, in College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin play. The Titans picked up their first win of the season with an exciting 3-0 sweep of the Big Blue.

"It is nice to finally get a win," IWU Head Volleyball Coach Kim Nelson-Brown exclaimed. "This team has shown so much resilience and tenacity, so it is great to see a win as a result of their hard work. I am proud of our fight when the sets were tight and our ability to perservere."

Illinois Wesleyan held off MU 26-24 in the opening set and cruised to a 25-17 win in the second to take control of the match, 2-0. In the third, the Titans fell behind 19-17 before carrying the momentum off a pair of blocks to a 25-22 win. With the victory, IWU moved to 1-1 in CCIW play and handed Millikin (2-1) its first conference loss of the season.

The Titans used a balanced attack and strong blocking to notch the win, as IWU hit at a .171 clip while holding MU to a -.021 mark. IWU led the tally in kills 27 to 26, digs 37 to 32, and blocks seven to three.

Four players finished with five-or-more kills, with junior Jessica McCall (Wayne, Ill.-Wheaton St. Francis) and freshman Evy Makris (Orland Park, Ill.-Sandburg HS) who tallied seven apiece. Makris hit a whopping .400 for the match en route to tying her career-high.

Defensively, sophomore Courtney McAuliffe (Lemont, Ill.-Lemont HS) notched a game-high four blocks. Sophomore Madi Corey (Frankfort, Ill.-Lincoln-Way East HS), Makris, and sophomore Dana Kiszkowski (Schaumburg, Ill.-Schaumburg HS) added two rejections each. Additionally, McCall registered a team-high nine digs, sophomore Amber Juarez added eight, and freshman Riley Epperson (Payson, Ill.-Payson Seymour HS) chipped in a career-best seven.

Illinois Wesleyan continues CCIW competition with a midweek trip to Waukesha, Wis. Wednesday, Oct. 2 to take on Carroll University. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m.