Feeney, Pierce, and Palmer celebrating a block against Wheaton Sept. 18, 2024

Women’s Volleyball Hosts No. 15 North Park

Titans look to pick up key CCIW win

10/1/2024 10:00:00 AM

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - Beginning a tough part of the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin schedule, the Illinois Wesleyan University women's volleyball team hosts No. 15 North Park University Wednesday night, Oct. 2. Action is set to begin at 6 p.m. inside the Shirk Center.

The Titans (9-5, 2-0 CCIW) hope to see a large crowd for beach theme night, highlighted by Tropical Smoothie Cafe offering $5 cash-only smoothies to fans. Additionally, those in attendance will have chances to win a free smoothie through various contests, including a "best dressed" for the fan wearing the best beach attire.

Illinois Wesleyan's offense has been powered by juniors Taylor French (Romeoville, Ill.-Plainfield East) and Hannah Tellor (Metamora, Ill.-Metamora Township). French leads the team with 210 kills, and her 4.12 kills per set average ranks 22nd nationally. French's 251 points are 27th in Division III, while her 4.92 points per set is the 14th-best average. Tellor is second on the team with 116 kills, averaging 2.27 per set, and her .376 attack percentage leads the conference and ranks 20th across the country. Freshman Alex Bardouniotis (St. Charles, Ill.-St. Charles North) is third on the team in kills with 99. French and Bardouniotis are first and second on the team with 33 and 22 aces, respectively. Sophomore Sophia Feeney (Bloomington, Ill.-Normal Community) is third with 16 on the season.

Feeney's 225 assists lead the Green and White, averaging 5.11 per set. Senior Abby Erdman (Aurora, Ill.-Metea Valley) is second with 169 assists, followed by fifth-year Jordan Pierce (Bonfield, Ill.-Herscher) with 119.

Defensively, junior Kannyn Boyd (Mt. Pleasant, Mich.-Mt. Pleasant) has accumulated a team-high 172 digs, averaging 4.53 per set. French closely follows with 155, holding an average of 3.04 digs per set. Freshman Alysa Lawton (Elmhurst, Ill.-IC Catholic Prep) is third for the Titans with 97 digs in her first collegiate season. Sophomore Eleanor Palmer (Chicago, Ill.-DePaul College Prep) has led the net defense for the Green and White, totaling 39 blocks on the season, six coming on solo stuffs. Tellor's 30 rejections are good for second on the squad, and senior Morgan Harrington (Plainfield, Ill.-Plainfield East) rounds out the top three with 18 blocks.

With a series dating back to 1994, Illinois Wesleyan brings a commanding 36-4 all-time record into Wednesday's contest, but looks to snap a three-game losing skid to the Vikings (10-2, 1-0 CCIW). The two teams last met in the CCIW Tournament Semifinal Nov. 9, 2023, with North Park winning in four sets before going on to claim the tournament championship. French led the team with a 15-kill, 26-dig double-double performance, while Pierce orchestrated the majority of the Titan offense, finishing with 26 assists. NPU enters Wednesday off a three-set loss to fourth-ranked Hope College Wednesday, Sept. 25.

A live stream of the match, with men's volleyball players Vince DiCosola and Hayden Warfield on the air, can be found by clicking here, and live stats can be accessed here.

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