Box Score

KENOSHA, Wis. - The Elmhurst College volleyball team advanced to to the CCIW Tournament Championship by edging Millikin University 20-25, 25-18, 26-24, 20-25, 15-6.

The victory was the Bluejays' 17th consecutive win.

Millikin (26-11) jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead by taking the opening set 25-20. Elmhurst (30-4) answered back by running out to a quick six point lead in the second set and cruising to the 25-18 win.

In the third set, the Bluejays trailed 16-13, but scored five straight points to grab an 18-16 lead. Elmhurst opened up a 23-20 advantage and led again at 24-22, but Millikin fought off a pair of set points to tie the score at 24-24. Katie Rueffer's kill gave the Bluejays' a third set-point and Antonéya Veasy Smith ended the set for Elmhurst with a kill.

Elmhurst jumped out to a quick 10-5 lead in the fourth set, but Millikin responded with a 15-7 run to take a 20-17 lead. The Big Blue polished off the set at 25-20 to knot the match at two sets apiece.

Elmhurst started quickly in the fifth set, building a 6-2 lead and forcing Millikin to burn a time out. Elmhurst never let Millikin get back into the fifth set, as the Bluejays punched their ticket to the CCIW Tournament Championship with a 15-6 in the decisive set.

Veasy Smith powered the Elmhurst attack, smashing a team-leading 20 kills and recording 17 digs. Megan Reynolds added 15 kills and five blocks while Kaitlyn Wilks recorded 12 kills and two blocks. Sam Szarmach finished with eight kills and 16 digs and Perrie Morgan led the squad in digs with 22. Marci Novak totaled 20 digs for the Bluejays. Erin Thill finished with 35 assists while Rueffer added 20.

Kelsey England led the Big Blue with 24 kills and 14 digs. Audrey Krajec added nine kills and four blocks while Becca Thompson finished with eight kills and four blocks.

Elmhurst will face Carthage College in the championship match tomorrow (November 5) at 2:00 p.m. Carthage upended Wheaton College 3-1 in the tournament's second semifinal.