GAME STATS PICTURED ABOVE: Maddie McGinnis led the Thunder in kills (13), digs (17) and service aces (5).

Wheaton, Ill. – Millikin University topped the Thunder volleyball team 3-2 (23-25, 25-10, 17-25, 25-18, 15-13) on Tuesday night in the CCIW opener for both teams. Wheaton is now 14-6 on the year, with an 0-1 conference record. Millikin 13-8 on the season and owns a 1-0 record in CCIW play. Wheaton will return to action next Tuesday at 7 PM in a CCIW match at North Central College.

Wheaton won the first set 25-23 as the Thunder jumped out to a 6-0 lead and never trailed. Millikin was an easy 25-10 victor in the second set. The tone was set in the second set by a Millikin team that had 11 kills on 20 attempts with a .550 attack percentage and a Wheaton team that had seven kills, 10 errors and 31 attempts for a -.097 attack percentage. Wheaton won the third set 25-17, with the Thunder never trailing in the set. 

Millikin rallied to win the fourth set 25-18. The Thunder led the set 12-6 and appeared prepared to close out the match, when the Big Blue cut the Wheaton lead to 15-13 and from that point Millikin scored 11 consecutive points to take a 24-15 in earning the win. Wheaton took a 7-4 lead in the decisive fifth set, however Millikin rallied to tie the set at 9-9. Wheaton regained the lead with a 12-10 advantage, however, Millikin outscored Wheaton 5-1 to close out the set and earn the win.

Junior Maddie McGinnis led the Thunder with 13 kills, Andy DeMoss collected nine kills and Shelby Knowles made eight kills. Ashley Torok distributed 23 assists and Lauren Wilhite had 15 assists. McGinnis led Wheaton with 17 digs and she added five service aces, while Kelli Manning had 14 digs. Lindsay Stein had six total blocks to lead the Thunder.

Wheaton had 45 kills as a team, with a .158 attack percentage and 43 assists in the match. Millikin had 68 kills, with a .253 attack percentage and 64 assists.