BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - The Illinois Wesleyan University women's volleyball team began its 2021 campaign with a three-set sweep of Illinois College in non-conference action Wednesday night, Sept. 1, inside the Shirk Center. A potent offensive attack powered the Titans (1-0) past the Lady Blues by set scores of 25-20, 25-14, 25-17.

Leading the IWU attack were seniors Courtney McAuliffe (Lemont, Ill.-Lemont) and Jessica McCall (Wayne, Ill.-Wheaton St. Francis). McAuliffe tallied a match-high 12 kills on a .474 attacking percentage, while McCall added 10 on a .471 clip. Also finishing with double-digit kills was junior Grace Sanders (Bloomington, Ill.-Bloomington), who contributed an 11-kill, 10-dig double-double.

Senior Madi Corey (Frankfort, Ill.-Lincoln-Way East) and freshmen Ava Porada (Frankfort, Ill.-Lincoln-Way East) and Abby Erdman (Aurora, Ill.-Matea Valley) orchestrated the attack. Corey finished with a match-high 19 assists, while Porada and Erdman notched 10 and nine, respectively, in their collegiate debuts.

Defensively, senior Makenna Jacoby (Shorewood, Ill.-Minooka Community) led a platoon of Titans with 10+ digs on the night. Behind Jacoby's match-best 11 digs, Sanders, Corey, and senior Amber Juarez (Bloomington, Ill.-Normal U High) added 10 apiece. 

At the net, IWU doubled up IC in blocks, 6-3. Freshman Morgan Harrington (Plainfield, Ill.-Plainfield East) made the most of her time on the court as she led the Green and White with four rejections. McAuliffe, McCall, and junior Dana Kiszkowski (Schaumburg, Ill.-Schaumburg) recorded two each. 

As a team, Illinois Wesleyan hit a whopping .305 with 51 kills on 118 attempts. IC finished with a .162 clip, tallying 26 kills on 99 tries. The Titans also held advantages in aces (6-0), assists (49-23), and digs (54-42).

Illinois Wesleyan travels to Newport News, Va. this weekend, Friday-Saturday Sept. 3-4, for the Captains Classic hosted by Christopher Newport. There, IWU will square off with Lynchburg, Susquehanna, Clarkson, and tournament-host CNU.