BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - The No. 24 Illinois Wesleyan University volleyball team's gritty defensive effort was not enough to knock off the University of the South in the Titans home opener Friday, Sept. 6, at the Holiday Inn Express Classic. IWU posted season-highs in both blocks and digs, but came up short against the Tigers, 3-2.

The Titans came out strong, winning the first set by a score of 25-20, but the Tigers even things up at one apiece as IWU dropped the second set, 25-19. The trading of sets continued as Illinois Wesleyan took set three (25-21) but Sewanne forced a decisive fifth set with a 25-22 win in the fourth. A back-and-forth fifth fell in favor of the Tigers, 17-15, as the Titans fell short, 3-2.

Sophomore Madi Corey (Frankfort, Ill.-Lincoln-Way East HS) and freshman Grace Sanders (Bloomington, Ill.-Bloomington HS) recorded career-bests against the Tigers. Corey totaled a career-high 45 assists, while also tacking on 10 digs and six kills. Sanders notched a double-double with 22 digs and 16 kills, both of which were career-bests. Junior Jessica McCall (Wayne, Ill.-Wheaton St. Francis HS) and sophomore Amber Juarez (Bloomington, Ill.-Normal University HS) joined Sanders with 20+ dig efforts, as McCall accounted for 26 digs and Juarez tied a career-high with 24.

The first of three Holiday Inn Express Classics continues Saturday, Sept. 7 with a 10 a.m. first serve between IWU and Hendrix. The Titans wrap up the weekend with a 3 p.m. contest against Otterbein.