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BLOOMINGTON, IL - Illinois Wesleyan Men’s Volleyball Invitational - Illinois Wesleyan vs Adrian - February 9, 2024 - Kodiak Creative/Jimmy Naprstek
Kodiak Creative
1
Ill. Wesleyan IWU 7-5,0-0 CCIW
3
Winner Concordia Wisconsin CUW 3-5,0-0 NACC
Ill. Wesleyan IWU
7-5,0-0 CCIW
1
Final
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Concordia Wisconsin CUW
3-5,0-0 NACC
Winner
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Ill. Wesleyan IWU 25 24 15 15 (1)
Concordia Wisconsin CUW 22 27 25 25 (3)

Game Recap: Men's Volleyball |

Men’s Volleyball Upended at Concordia Wisconsin

Titans host Fontbonne Thursday, Feb. 15

MEQUON, Wis. – The Illinois Wesleyan University men's volleyball team falls to 7-5 on the season following a four-set loss at Concordia University Wisconsin Tuesday, Feb. 13. IWU (7-5) fell to CUW (3-5) by set scores of 22-25, 27-25, 25-15, and 25-15.

Illinois Wesleyan could not keep pace with Concordia Wisconsin's attack, as the Falcons hit .378 for the match. The Titans finished with a .203 clip, registering 48 kills on 123 swings. CUW doubled up IWU in aces, 10-5, and also held leads in blocks (6-4) and assists (48-47). Digs finished even at 40 apiece.

Senior Michael Eastman (Chicago, Ill.-St. Ignatius) led the Titans with 14 kills on a .237 clip while also posting two service aces, and a pair of digs. Junior Luke Hartke (Barrington, Ill.-Barrington) totaled nine kills with a .263 attack percentage and one block on the night.  Junior Vince DiCosola (Aurora, Ill.-Oswego East) had 23 assists to go along with eight digs while sophomore Jace Milka (Bolingbrook, Ill.-Plainfield East) had a team-leading 14 digs. Senior Javier Romano (Prospect Heights, Ill.-Wheeling) matched his career high of seven kills and led the team with three blocks.

The Titans trailed early in the first set, finding themselves in a four-point deficit before a Falcons' service error started IWU's climb. Seniors Julian Perez (Orland Park, Ill.-Carl Sandburg) and Romano teamed up for a block to bring the score even at 12-all. The Titans went on a four-point run late in the set that featured kills by Eastman and DiCosola and put the Green and White ahead, 22-19. CUW picked up a pair of points to bring the score within two at 24-22 before an IWU timeout stunted the Falcon's momentum and led to a 25-22 first set win for the TItans.

Set two saw a close battle with the score never exceeding a two-point lead for either team. Hartke notched a solo stuff to give IWU the 14-13 advantage. The Titans maintained the lead for 13 back-and-forth points but a kill by CUW's Tate Miller granted the Falcons the upper hand. Freshman Bryce Williams (Chicago, Ill.-Whitney M. Young) picked up his fourth kill of the set to even the score at 25, but a Titan error and a kill for CUW gave the Falcons the 27-25 set win and leveled the sets at 1-1.

Despite keeping the score within two for much of the third set, the Titans were quickly plagued by errors resulting in a 25-15 set win for CUW. 

Looking to bounce back, the Titans managed to keep a 9-8 advantage on the Falcons before CUW flipped the script on a four-point spree to take a 12-9 lead prompting an IWU timeout. CUW would eventually take the fourth set 25-15, and the match 3-1. 

IWU is back at home Thursday, Feb. 15 for a non-conference matchup with Fontbonne University. First serve inside the Shirk Center is set for  7 p.m.
 
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