Wheaton, Ill. – The Wheaton volleyball team (12-12, 2-5 CCIW) hosted Elmhurst University (12-11, 2-6 CCIW) for a key CCIW match on Saturday afternoon inside King Arena. The Thunder swept Elmhurst 3-0 (29-27, 27-25, 25-10) as Wheaton earned its second-consecutive CCIW victory. Today's event was also "Senior Day" for the Thunder volleyball team as the program honored its five seniors: Caroline Capps, Annika Evenson, Bree Gilbert, Ashton Major, and Emerson Traweek (ALL PICTURED AT LEFT).

Capps led the Thunder with 12 kills tonight, followed by Jordan Benford with 10 kills. Major added eight kills in posting a .438 attack percentage. Setter Lacey Higgins distributed 28 assists, and she added nine digs. Higgins and Capps each registered a match-high three service aces tonight. Libero Grace Autry led Wheaton's defensive efforts with 16 digs. Sydney Overweg tallied three total blocks in the match.

Wheaton won the tightly contested first set 29-27 as there were four lead changes and the set was tied on eight occasions. The Thunder scored the first three points of the set and led the Bluejays 10-5 early in the set. Wheaton held a 14-9 lead when the guests out-scored the Thunder 6-1 to tie the set at 15-15. Neither team led by more than two points for the remainder of the set.

The first set was tied 23-23 when Benford tallied a kill to give Wheaton a 24-23 lead and the first set point of the match. The two teams traded service errors as Wheaton led 25-24. Elmhurst's Kellyn Kennedy tallied a kill to tie the set at 25-25. Major recorded a kill to put the Thunder up 26-25, but a Thunder service error tied the set at 26-26. Elmhurst's Blair Johnson tallied a kill to give the Bluejays a 27-26 lead, but Capps responded with a kill that tied the set at 27-27. Benford responded with a critical kill to give Wheaton a 28-27 lead and an Elmhurst miscue on the final point of the set gave Wheaton the 29-27 victory.

Capps (PICTURED RIGHT) had a team-high five kills in the opening set. Benford. Traweek and Major each had three kills. Higgins had 10 assists and Autry registered 11 digs.

Wheaton won another dramatic set in the second set, 27-25. This set had five lead changes and nine ties. Elmhurst jumped out to a 6-4 lead, but Wheaton responded with four-consecutive points to take an 8-6 lead. The 4-0 Thunder run had two kills by Benford, a kill by Major and a service ace by Autry. Wheaton maintained its lead until Elmhurst rallied to tie the set at 13-13. The Bluejays pulled ahead to take a 19-15 lead. The Bluejays led 24-20 and had their first set point opportunity of the first set, but the guests had an attacking error that started a 5-0 run for the Thunder as Wheaton gained a 25-24 lead. Wheaton 's impressive 5-0 run included two kills by Capps and one by Major. The set was tied 25-25 when Major tallied a kill that gave Wheaton a 26-25 lead. An Elmhurst miscue on the next play gave Wheaton the 27-25 victory in the set.

Major led the Thunder with four kills in the second set, posting a .444 attack percentage. Benford and Capps each had three kills as Capps registered a .429 attack percentage. Higgins had 10 assists in the set, and Autry added two service aces.
Wheaton dominated the third set in earning the 25-10 victory. The hosts jumped out to an 11-1 lead and never trailed in the set. Capps and Benford each had four kills, as Benford recorded an .800 attack percentage. Capps had three service aces.

Wheaton closes out the 2024 CCIW schedule, and its home schedule on Wednesday evening as Carthage College visits the Thunder. Wednesday's match against the Firebirds is schedule to begin at 8:00 p.m.