Wheaton, Ill. – The Wheaton Thunder volleyball team dropped their first match of the 2025 season on Wednesday night as Concordia University (Wis.) defeated the Thunder 3-1 in King Arena. The Falcons hung on to win the first set 28-26 and the guests won the second set 25-18. Wheaton won the third set 25-21 and CUW closed out the match with a 25-20 victory in the fourth set. Wheaton falls to 8-1 on the season with tonight's loss, while the Falcons improve to 2-4.

Thunder senior Ashton Major led the Thunder with 11 kills as she posted a .450 attack percentage in an efficient outing. Sydney Overweg had 10 kills and a .500 attack percentage, while Jordan Benford also had 10 kills and Katherine Adkison added nine kills.

Setter Lacey Higgins led the Thunder with 30 assists. Grace Autry had 18 digs, while freshman Miriam Pozdol-Niego contributed 14 digs. Benford and Overweg each contributed three total blocks for the hosts.

Concordia (Wis.) won the first set 28-26 as the guests jumped out to a 5-1 lead and later led 18-14. The Falcons led 24-21 when Wheaton responded with four-consecutive points to tie the set at 25-25. A Paris Griffin kill gave the Thunder a 26-25 lead, however, the Falcons responded with three-consecutive points to earn the 28-26 win. Griffin and Major each led the Thunder with four kills apiece in the set, while Higgins had nine assists.

The Falcons gained a 10-6 lead in the second set as the guests earned a 25-18 victory. Adkison led Wheaton with three kills in the set, Higgins had five assists, and Pozdol-Niego contributed five digs.

Wheaton led for much of the third set in earning a 25-21 victory. The Thunder led 17-14 when the Falcons rallied with a 5-2 run to tie the set score at 19-19. The score was tied at 20-20 when a kill by Benford sparked a 5-1 Wheaton run as the Thunder earned the 25-21 win. Benford recorded six kills in the set, while Adkison, Overweg and Major each had three kills.

Wheaton's final lead of the match was a 5-4 Thunder advantage in the fourth set that was eventually won by CUW, 25-20. The Falcons responded to Wheaton's 5-4 lead with a 6-1 run that gave the guests a 10-6 advantage. The Falcons led by as much as 19-10 in the in the set. Benford, Major and Overweg each had two kills in the final set.

Wheaton hosts the Sixth Annual Marilyn Scribner Invitational this Friday and Saturday in King Arena. The tournament begins for Wheaton at 4:00 p.m. on Friday as the Thunder take on Aurora University. Wheaton's second match on Friday is at 6:30 p.m. against Lawrence University.