Audrey Peterson

Women’s Volleyball to Face Millikin Friday at Shirk

1991 team to be recognized pregame as part of Homecoming festivities

10/1/2026 3:00:00 PM

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - The College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin season rolls on with a marquee matchup inside the Shirk Center Friday night, Oct. 2, as the fourth-ranked Illinois Wesleyan University women's volleyball team hosts Millikin University for a 7 p.m. serve. The match, which will kick off Homecoming weekend at IWU, will see the 1991 Titan women's volleyball team recognized prior to the match.

The Titans enter Homecoming weekend on a six-match winning streak, most recently knocking off Wheaton College 3-1 Wednesday, Sept. 30. IWU's victory was propelled by an explosive attack led by junior Alex Bardouniotis (St. Charles, Ill.-St. Charles North), tallying a match-high 18 kills at a .324 clip. The junior has been strong all season, leading an IWU attack that is hitting .221 with 13.7 kills per set, good for fifth in the country.

The defense was impactful Wednesday against the Thunder totaling seven blocks. Junior Juliana Valdez (Palos Heights, Ill.-Marist) collected three vetoes while junior Alysa Lawton (Elmhurst, Ill.-IC Catholic Prep) managed a team-high 12 digs. Lawton sits at 11th nationally in digs per set at 5.73 and her 42 dig performance earlier this season remains tied for sixth for most in a five-set match.

The Bloomington duo of senior Sophia Feeney (Bloomington, Ill.-Normal Community) and sophomore Lauren O'Brien (Bloomington, Ill.-Central Catholic) have organized a setting scheme that is top-35 in the nation. In 55 sets, Feeney has dished out 305 assists for 5.55 assists per set. O'Brien, in 47 sets, has accompanied her senior with 4.70 assists per set with 221 helpers.

In a series that dates back to 1994, the two teams sit tied all-time at 30-30. The Green and White have had the upperhand as of late, winning the past three matchups. Last season, Illinois Wesleyan swept the Big Blue in Decatur, Oct. 24. The Titans hit .277 for the match, including a whopping .542 in the second, to grab the straight-sets win. Taylor French and Bardouniotis posted double-doubles in the triumph, while Feeney dished out 22 assists. Millikin enters Friday night level at 9-9 on the year and 0-1 in CCIW matches. The Big Blue most recently swept Illinois College in a non-conference contest, Sept. 29, to snap a four-game skid.

First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m. and will stream on the CCIW Network. The 1991 team, which made the program's first ever NCAA Tournament appearance, will be recognized prior to the match at approximately 6:50 p.m. Links to the live stream as well as live stats can be found on the women's volleyball schedule page of iwusports.com.

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