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Julian Perez Hitting (Used for April 1, 2023 Story Photo)
Kodiak Creative
3
Winner Ill. Wesleyan IWU 11-13,2-7 CCIW
1
Augustana (IL) AUGIE 10-11,1-7 CCIW
Winner
Ill. Wesleyan IWU
11-13,2-7 CCIW
3
Final
1
Augustana (IL) AUGIE
10-11,1-7 CCIW
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Ill. Wesleyan IWU 25 25 22 25 (3)
Augustana (IL) AUGIE 18 15 25 23 (1)

Game Recap: Men's Volleyball |

Men’s Volleyball Secures Key CCIW Victory at Augustana

Perez earns 100th-career block

ROCK ISLAND, Ill. - On the heels of the final week of the regular season, the Illinois Wesleyan University men's volleyball team kept its postseason hopes alive by taking down Augustana College in four sets (25-18, 25-15, 22-25, 25-23), Saturday, April 1 at the Roy J. Carver Center on the campus of AC. With the victory, the Titans' record now stands at 11-13 (2-7 CCIW), while Augustana's record fell to 10-11 (1-7 CCIW). 

The Green and White led in nearly every statistical category, producing advantages in kills (49-44), aces (6-2), blocks (8-6), and attack percentage (.248-.167). 

Sophomore Ryan Myers (Hawthorn Woods, Ill.-Stevenson) notched his first-career double-double by tallying 12 kills and 11 assists. Sophomore Jake Kougan (Frankfort, Ill.-Lincoln-Way East) and junior Michael Eastman (Chicago, Ill.-Saint Ignatius) recorded double-digit kills with 12 and 10, respectively.

Sophomore Vince DiCosola (Aurora, Ill.-Oswego East) paved the way for the Titan attack by generating 34 assists. 

On the defensive end, junior Javier Romano (Prospect Heights, Ill.-Wheeling) set a new season-best as Romano racked up five rejections as the net. Eastman recorded three blocks, while junior Julian Perez (Orland Park, Ill.-Carl Sandburg) manufactured two rejections to surpass the century mark for his Titan career. Eastman and DiCosola earned nine and eight digs, respectively.

With IWU clinging to a slim, 9-8, advantage in the opening set, the Green and White went on a crucial seven point run to push the cushion to 16-8. The run was highlighted by a pair of Romano kills, an Eastman kill, and four Viking miscues. With the Titans owning a commanding 21-13 lead, Augie manufactured a four point run to cut the deficit to 21-17. However, three straight points by IWU closed out the first frame, 25-18. Back-to-back attack Augustana errors closed out the set as the Titans took the 1-0 advantage.

After dropping the first three points of the second, the Green and White took seven of the next eight points to race out to the 7-4 lead. With neither side scoring more than two straight tallies the rest of the set, Illinois Wesleyan took the second set by a final score of 25-15. A DiCosola kill ended the second frame to give IWU the two sets to none lead.

In the third, looking for the sweep, the Green and White held the 20-17 advantage. However, a costly six-point Viking run late in the set propelled Augie to a 25-22 set three victory.

Late in the fourth, with back-and-forth action, as neither team held more than a four point cushion, the set was even at 21-21. With IWU looking to end the match, two costly Viking attack errors and a Kougan kill gave the Titans the 24-21 lead. DiCosola, with the set at 24-23, welcomed the match-ending kill to push IWU past the Vikings by a final score of 25-23.

The Green and White will conclude the regular season with a contest against Loras College, Saturday, April 8. First serve of the home finale is set for 3:30 p.m. inside of the Shirk Center.

 
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