ELMHURST, Ill. - The Elmhurst volleyball team suffered its first CCIW loss of the season after falling in a marathon five-set match to Illinois Wesleyan University 24-26, 25-21, 25-22, 18-25, 15-17.

Elmhurst (17-7, 3-1 CCIW) had a pair of set points in the opening set and a match point in the decisive fifth set, but came up short in each instance. 

In the opening set, Illinois Wesleyan (17-4, 3-1 CCIW) built a 12-7 lead only to see Elmhurst pull even at 21-21 and then grab a 24-22 lead after a kill from Hannah Nimrick. A service error and attack error on the Bluejays allowed the Titans to even the score at 24-all. A kill from Maisy Bowden and an ace from Leah Seielstad gave the Titans the opening set at 27-25. 

Elmhurst raced out to a 15-10 lead in the second set and held off a late charge from the Titans. Illinois Wesleyan pulled to within a point at 21-20, but three straight points by the Bluejays gave Elmhurst four set points. An attack error on the Titans gave the Bluejays the second set and evened the match. 

Illinois Wesleyan grabbed an early 11-6 lead in the third, but the Bluejays used a 9-4 run to pull even at 15-15. The score remained even at 21-21, before three straight points gave the Bluejays set point. The Titans fought off one point, but a kill from Mary Lawrence ended the third set for the Bluejays at 25-22.

The Titans dominated the fourth set, building a quick 10-3 lead and never looking back. Elmhurst came no closer than four points as the Titans cruised to the 25-18 win to even the match at two sets apiece.

Elmhurst grabbed a quick 4-1 lead in the fifth set, but the Titans responded with a 4-0 run to move in front 5-4. Elmhurst answered back with a 4-1 run to take an 8-6 lead on the side change. The Bluejays grabbed an 11-8 lead and forced the Titans to burn their final timeout. Illinois Wesleyan responded with a 5-2 run to even the score at 13-13. A kill from Anne Cummings gave the Titans a match point, but Nimrick totaled a kill to even the score at 14 for the Bluejays. An Alli Rogers kill gave the Bluejays a match point at 15-14, but an attack error on the Bluejays knotted the score at 15-all. A ball handling error and an attack error on the Bluejays gave the Titans the final two points of the set and the match. 

Elmhurst finished the contest hitting .181 with 61 kills and 28 errors in 182 attempts. Mary Lawrence led the way with 19 kills and four blocks in the loss. Nimrick recorded another triple-double, finishing with 11 kills, 46 assists and 10 digs. Mel Lundin added nine kills while Hannah Davis tallied eight and five blocks. Rogers and Olivia Park finished with seven kills apiece in the loss. Amy Schryver led the Bluejays' defense with 20 digs.

The Titans hit .203 for the contest with 64 digs and 27 errors in 182 attempts. Tyler Brown paced the Titans, finishing with 20 kills and 27 digs. Anne Cummings added 12 kills while Kyleigh Block and Rachel Burkman added 10 kills apiece. Colleen Rynne added 33 assists while Mary Rankin tallied 16 digs for the Titans.

Elmhurst plays at the Calvin College Invitational on October 16-17.