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Men's volleyball celebrates a point at North Park
Dave Naprstek
3
Winner Ill. Wesleyan IWU 2-9,1-5 CCIW
1
Millikin MIL-U 0-6,0-5 CCIW
Winner
Ill. Wesleyan IWU
2-9,1-5 CCIW
3
Final
1
Millikin MIL-U
0-6,0-5 CCIW
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Ill. Wesleyan IWU 25 22 25 28 (3)
Millikin MIL-U 21 25 18 26 (1)

Game Recap: Men's Volleyball |

Men's Volleyball Defeats Millikin to Earn Program's First CCIW Win

Johnson posts career-high 18 kills

DECATUR, Ill. - The Illinois Wesleyan University men's volleyball team picked up its first College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin win in program history with a 3-1 defeat of Millikin University Wednesday night, March 10, in Decatur, Ill. The Titans topped the Big Blue 25-21, 22-25, 25-18, and 28-26.

The freshmen duo of KJ Johnson (Saint John, Ind.-Marian Catholic) and Michael Eastman (Chicago, Ill.-Saint Ignatius) paced the Titans offensively. Johnson finished with a career-high 18 kills and hit a whopping .317. Eastman also tallied double-digit kills, registering 15 on the night.

Defensively, Johnson notched four blocks, tying for the team lead with Alec Mucha (Geneva, Ill.-Geneva). Mucha also added four kills on nine attempts. Adam Blackmore (Geneva, Ill.-Geneva) and Dominic Bennett (Lockport, Ill.-Plainfield Central) recorded eight digs apiece, while Bennett also added 16 assists. 

Illinois Wesleyan came out strong in the opening set, hitting .292 as a team. The Titans, fired up on a block by Eastman, tied the match at 17 late. A Millikin attacking error, a Johnson kill, and another Big Blue miscue put the Green and White up 20-17. MU battled back within one, 21-20, but IWU scored four of the set's final four points to take a 1-0 lead in the match.

The second set saw both teams struggle to find a groove offensively. Millikin got out to a 7-2 lead in the early goings, but five straight points with Donald Tichy (Chicago, Ill.-Chicago HS for Agricultural Science) serving pulled the Titans within three late. Another three-point spurt, this time with Vic Gomez (Wheeling, Ill.-Wheeling) keeping the Big Blue off balance cut the MU lead to one, but Millikin held off Illinois Wesleyan, 25-22, to even the match at one set each.

The Big Blue had no answer for Eastman early on, as the Titans jumped out to a lead and never looked back en route to a 25-18 set victory.

In front in the match 2-1, Illinois Wesleyan found itself down 19-17 in the fourth before Eastman got IWU rolling. A kill by Eastman was followed by four consecutive MU errors and gave Illinois Wesleyan a 22-19 lead. Millikin battled back to force extra points, but a service error and Eastman's 15th kill of the night propelled IWU to the 3-1 win.

The Titans roadtrip continues with a jaunt to Naperville, Ill. for a clash with nationally-ranked North Central College Saturday, March 13. First serve is slated for 12 p.m.

 
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