BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - The Illinois Wesleyan University men's volleyball team will travel to River Forest, Ill. to take part in the Concordia University-Chicago Triangular Friday, Jan. 27. The Titans (2-4) will take on Adrian College at 4 p.m., followed by host CUC at 7 p.m.

Illinois Wesleyan looks to rebound after dropping its home opener to Benedictine University in straight sets Tuesday night, Jan. 24. Junior Michael Eastman (Chicago, Ill.-Saint Ignatius) recorded a match-high 11 kills. Junior Julian Perez (Orland Park, Ill.-Carl Sandburg) followed with seven kills on an impressive .385 attack percentage. Perez also recorded four blocks in the match. 

The Green and White have seen a strong defensive front, as its 2.30 blocks per set average is 11th-best in the nation. Junior Alec Mucha (Geneva, Ill.-Geneva) currently holds the most blocks in a five-set match, as he recorded a nation-high 10 blocks against Fontbonne University, Jan. 20. 

Offensively, Eastman continues to lead the Titans, as he has amassed 51 kills in 18 sets played, good for an average of 2.83 kills per set. Sophomore Vince DiCosola (Aurora, Ill.-Oswego East) and junior Bradley Benson (Lemont, Ill.-Lemont Township) have orchestrated the majority of the offense, as they have 80 and 59 assists, respectively, on the season. 

Adrian enters the match after defeating Hiram College, Jan. 21, to move to 3-0. IWU has faced the Bulldogs once in the past, holding a 1-0 record. The Titans defended their homecourt, as they swept AC, Jan. 29, 2022. Eastman led the match with 13 kills and two assists, while sophomore Jake Kougan (Frankfort, Ill.-Lincoln-Way East) recorded a match-high four blocks. 

CUC will open its 2023 season at the Triangular. The Titans have taken on the Cougars once in the past, which also took place on Jan. 29, 2022. IWU took the win in five sets, led by Eastman's program-best 23 kills. The Chicago, Ill. native completed a double-double performance with a team-high 12 digs. 

A live stream of the event can be found here, while live stats can be accessed here. To stay up-to-date on the men's volleyball team, be sure to follow them on Instagram (@iwumensvolleyball) and Twitter (@iwumvb).