Lisle, Ill. – The Wheaton volleyball team improved to 6-5 on the season with a non-conference win at Benedictine (6-6) on Saturday night. The Thunder defeated the Eagles 3-0. Wheaton won the first set 25-19, the guests won the second set 25-18 and the Thunder closed out the match with a 25-19 victory in the third set. Wheaton has won four of its last five matches.
Caroline Capps had a team-high 10 kills in Saturday's win, making just two errors as she tallied a .333 attack percentage.
Faith Bailey recorded eight kills and
Ashton Major had seven kills with an impressive .700 attack percentage.
Emerson Traweek tallied six kills. Setter
Lacey Higgins had 32 assists.
Grace Autry had a team-high 15 digs and Higgins added 11. Major and Bailey each recorded five total blocks, including two solos for Major.
Wheaton never trailed the in the first set, winning 25-19. The Thunder jumped out to a 4-1 lead and then extended it to 11-6 and cruised to the first set win.
Jordan Benford, Capps and Major each recorded three kills in the first set. Higgins had 12 assists, and Autry added nine digs.
Wheaton won the second set 25-18. The Eagles gained an early 3-1 lead in the set, however, Wheaton quickly rallied to take an 8-4 advantage. Once the Thunder gained the lead the guests never trailed as Wheaton pulled out to a 21-15 lead. Traweek closed out the set with a kill. Capps led Wheaton with four kills in the second set and Higgins had seven assists.
Wheaton rallied to win the decisive third set 25-19. The Eagles scored the first three points of the set, but Wheaton battled back to tie the set at 9-9. The set was tied 11-11 when the Thunder put together a 5-1 spurt to take a 16-12 lead. Wheaton extended its lead to six points at 20-14 on a kill by Traweek. Capp scored the final point of the match on a kill to give Wheaton the three-set sweep. Major had four kills on four attempts for a perfect 1.000 attack percentage in the set. Bailey also had four kills on a .429 attack percentage. Higgins had 13 assists and a team-high six digs in the set.
Wheaton travels to Carthage on Wednesday evening for a conference match against the Firebirds. Wednesday's match starts at 7:00 p.m. in Kenosha.
