GAME STATS Elmhurst, Ill. – The Wheaton volleyball team (13-22) advanced to the CCIW Volleyball Tournament Championship Match on Saturday with a 3-2 victory against third-seeded Carthage (25-12). Wheaton will be making its second appearance in the CCIW Tournament Championship match in three years, following a Championship Match loss to Carthage in 2010.

Wheaton will play in the Championship Match at 2 PM on Saturday at R.A. Faganel Hall in Elmhurst. The winner of the Championship Match will receive the CCIW's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Volleyball Tournament, with pairings announced on Monday November 5. The Thunder will face the winner of Friday's other Semifinal between Millikin and top-seeded Elmhurst.


Wheaton rallied again in the third set to earn a 25-19 victory. The Lady Reds led 17-14 when the Thunder scored seven consecutive points to take a 21-17 lead in the set. Carthage scored the next two points to trim Wheaton's lead to 21-19; however, the Thunder scored the final four points of the set to earn the win. Carthage sent the match to the decisive fifth set by winning the fourth set 25-19.

Wheaton won the fifth set 15-13. Wheaton took a 13-12 lead, breaking a series of ties when the Lady Reds recorded a kill error. Wheaton increased its lead in the set to 14-12 on a kill by #AndyDeMoss# (PICTURED LEFT). Carthage kill on the next play trimmed Wheaton's lead to 14-13. Wheaton won the match on a Carthage attack error to close out the stunning victory. 

Freshman setter Lauren Wilhite established career-highs with 53 assists and six total blocks, with one solo block and five assisted. DeMoss led the Thunder with 16 kills, Madeline Taylor added 13 and Emily Buyse, 11 and Cassie Murphy had nine. Freshman Kelli Manning recorded a match-high 28 digs and Murphy added 14. Grant had a solo block, with four assisted blocks and Buyse tallied a solo block with three assisted.