Wheaton, Ill. – The Wheaton volleyball team hosted Carroll on Wednesday night in a CCIW match. The Thunder rallied from a 2-0 deficit to defeat the Pioneers 3-2 in the match. Carroll won the first set 25-23 and the second set 27-25. The Thunder earned their first set win by winning the third set 25-17 and Wheaton tied the match at 2-2 with a 25-23 win the fourth set. Wheaton completed the reverse sweep with a 16-14 victory in the decisive fifth set as the Thunder earned their first conference win of the season.

Senior outside hitter Caroline Capps continued her impressive play with a career-high 23 kills in the match. Her effort tonight is the most kills by any CCIW player in a CCIW match of five sets this year and is the third-highest total by a CCIW player in any five-set match this season. Capps' 23-kill effort is the most by a Wheaton player since Shelby Knowles recorded 24 kills against University of Chicago on October 20, 2016. Capps was second on the team with 22 digs tonight.
Ashton Major recorded 13 kills, posting a .481 attack percentage. Emerson Traweek, Katherine Adkison and Paris Griffin each tallied seven kills. Sydney Overweg had six kills and Jordan Benford added four.

Lacey Higgins (PICTURED LEFT) led the hosts with a career-high 59 assists, the most for a Wheaton player in at least 10 years. She added 11 digs in a tremendous effort. Libero Grace Autry registered 34 digs in leading Wheaton defensively.  The hosts had nine service aces in the match, including a team-high three aces by Autry.

Carroll won the first set 25-23. The Pioneers jumped out to a 10-4 lead, but Wheaton responded with a 6-1 run to trim the Pioneers' lead to 11-10. The Thunder battled to tie the set at 14-14. The set remained tightly contested as Wheaton pulled ahead 23-22 when Capps tallied a kill to break a 22-22 tie. The Pioneers closed by scoring the final three points of the set to earn the 25-23 victory. Capps tallied eight kills in the set with an impressive .385 attack percentage. Major added four kills with a .571 attack percentage. Higgins had 14 assists and Capps had seven digs.

The Pioneers rallied to win the second set 27-25 as set saw 10 ties and four lead changes. The Thunder led 23-19, but the Pioneers rallied with a 5-1 run to tie the set at 24-24. A kill by Griffin gave Wheaton a 25-24, lead but the guests again tied the set at 25-25. Carroll won the next to points to win the second set 27-25. Major had a team-high three kills in the set, with 10 assists by Higgins, and six digs for Capps.

Wheaton won its first set with a 25-17 victory in the third set. The Thunder led 11-5 early and continued to lead the rest of the way. Capps tallied five kills on 10 attempts with a .300 attack percentage. Traweek added three kills, and Higgins led with 11 assists. Major (PICTURED RIGHT) had two service aces in the set, while Capps and Autry each had six digs.

Wheaton won the tightly contested fourth set 25-23 as there were eight ties and four lead changes in the set. The Thunder jumped out to a 7-5 lead, but the Pioneers battled back to take a 14-11 lead in the set. Wheaton responded with five-consecutive points to 16-14 as the 5-0 run concluded with a kill by Adkison. The Pioneers responded with three-straight points to take a 17-16 lead. The Thunder led 24-23 when Griffin recorded a kill to win the set at 25-23 and send the match to the decisive fifth set. Capps again led the way for Wheaton with six kills in the fourth set, in posting a .500 attack percentage. Higgins distributed 13 assists, and Autry tallied 10 digs.

Wheaton never trailed in the fifth set in earning the 16-14 victory. The Thunder jumped out to a 5-1 lead. The Pioneers battled back to tie the set at 13-13 and again at 14-14. A Carroll service error gave Wheaton a 15-14 lead and a kill by Major closed out the 16-14 win for the hosts. Major had four kills on just five attempts in posting an amazing .800 attack percentage in the set. Higgins had 11 assists, and Auty tallied six digs.

Wheaton remains at home on Saturday for the second of the three-match CCIW homestand as the Thunder entertains Elmhurst at 2:00 p.m. in King Arena. Saturday is "Senior Day" for the Thunder volleyball team as the program at will honor its five seniors at the conclusion of the match.