Elmhurst, Ill. -- The Thunder volleyball team returned to the campus of Elmhurst University this morning for the second part of their weekend invitational after their CCIW finale against the Bluejays on Friday afternoon. Wheaton faced off against two opponents from the WIAC on Saturday, with UW-La Crosse providing the morning test before Wheaton took on #20 UW-Stevens Point at lunchtime. The Thunder were defeated in both non-conference matchups but managed to take a set off of their nationally-ranked opponents this afternoon. Wheaton's overall record now sits at 9-14 heading into the final week of the season.
Wisconsin-La Crosse put in a smothering defensive performance in the first matchup today, not allowing Wheaton to score 20 points or hit above .200 in any of the three sets. The Eagles tallied four blocks to the Thunder's two and used their strong service game to their advantage, earning 13 aces. Additional statistical edges in kills and digs enabled the WIAC squad to register a comfortable straight-set victory.
Jordan Benford had a solid showing for Wheaton in match number one on Saturday, leading the team in three categories via seven kills, two blocks, and 12 digs.
Faith Bailey also earned a pair of rejections, while
Emerson Traweek (
pictured at right) notched six kills and the same number of digs.
Paige Syswerda led Wheaton in assists and service aces with 18 and two, respectively.
The Thunder began their match with the UWSP Pointers looking to claim their first set win of the weekend and fought bravely in the opening frame, mounting a five-point run to tie the score at 10-10 and taking a 16-15 lead in the middle of the game. But with the set positioned at 20-19 in the Wisconsin side's favor, Stevens Point showed their experience by earning the final five decisions of the frame to capture a 25-19 win. The Pointers then registered eight of the opening nine points in the second set and withstood a late Wheaton rally at the end of the frame to claim it, 25-20.
But the Thunder ensured that they did not leave Elmhurst without a set victory in the third frame, avoiding another three-set loss by way of a 25-22 result. UW-Stevens Point held a slim 9-8 advantage, but a three-point run by Wheaton capped by a
Caroline Capps (
pictured below) service ace proved to be a turning point in the game. The Thunder grabbed five of an available six points in the middle of the set to go up 19-16, and responded to a four-point UWSP run with a five-point surge of their own to make it 24-20. A
Faith Bailey kill settled the set at a 25-22 mark. Wheaton hung around in the first half of the fourth frame as they looked to erase the two-set deficit, but a 9-1 run by the Pointers in the middle of the game put the contest out of reach.
Stevens Point posted similarly impressive defensive numbers against the Thunder as their fellow WIAC opponents did in Saturday morning's matchup, although Wheaton earned a 6-5 edge in total blocks against the Pointers.
Capps posted match-highs of three blocks and three aces and was joined on the latter figure by Benford and
Sydney Overweg, who also tallied a trifecta of stuffs at the net. Traweek led the Thunder with 15 kills in the afternoon fixture and Capps was next in line with 11.
Annika Evenson earned a joint match-best total of 21 digs, and Syswerda once again led the team in assists with 41 to her credit.
The Wheaton volleyball team will return to King Arena on Tuesday night for its 2023 home finale when Lake Forest College visits for a 7 PM contest. The Thunder will then conclude their campaign in Madison, Wisconsin next Saturday by taking on UW-Oshkosh and Edgewood College in a non-conference triangular.
