Box Score KENOSHA, Wis. - The Elmhurst College volleyball team improved to 2-0 in CCIW play after holding off Carthage College for a thrilling five-set victory.

Elmhurst, ranked 12th in the latest AVCA poll, improved to 7-3 on the season by toppling 21st-ranked Carthage (6-4, 1-1 CCIW) 25-14, 28-30, 25-15, 21-25, 17-15.

The win over Carthage was Elmhurst's first regular-season conference win over the Lady Reds since the 2003 season.

After rolling past the Lady Reds in the opening set, the Bluejays opened up a nine-point lead early in the second, only to have the Lady Reds rally for a 30-28 set win to even the match.

Elmhurst grabbed a 2-1 lead with a comfortable 25-15 win in the third set, but Carthage answered right back with a 25-21 win the fourth set to force a decisive fifth and final set.

Elmhurst grabbed a quick 6-4 lead in the fifth set and led again at 9-7, but Carthage battled back to even the score at 9-9.

The two teams traded points over the next eight serves with Elmhurst grabbing a lead and Carthage evening the score each time. A service error on Carthage gave the Bluejays a match point at 14-13, but the Lady Reds' Rachel Fields tallied a kill to even the set at 14.

The Bluejays' Marci Novak quickly killed Carthage's service, setting up Elmhurst's second match point. An error on Elmhurst evened the score at 15-15, but Antonéya Veasy Smith put the ball down on the ensuing Carthage serve to give Elmhurst a 16-15 lead. Veasy Smith registered the match-winning kill on Elmhurst's next serve to give the Bluejays the win.

Four Bluejays reached double figures in kills. Veasy Smith and Reynolds hammered down 15 kills apiece to apce the Bluejays. Reynolds added three blocks while Veasy Smith finished with 23 digs. Sam Szarmach totaled 14 kills and three bocks while Kaitlyn Wilks added 10 kills and a team-leading five blocks and three aces. Katie Rueffer finished with a team-leading 29 assists while Erin Thill totaled 17 assists and 14 digs. Perrie Morgan finished with a match-high 35 digs for Elmhurst.

Carthage was led by Angelica Walinski's 20 kills. Emily Heuermann added nine kills for the Lady Reds.

The Bluejays travel to the Emory University tournament this weekend (September 21-22).