LISLE, Ill. – The Elmhurst volleyball team swept Benedictine University in its penultimate regular season contest of the season.
 
In the 25-17, 25-23, 25-22 win, the Bluejays (21-10) hit .225 as a team, while holding the Eagles (12-17) to just .098.
 
With the first set tied at three, Elmhurst jumped out to an advantage by taking the next five points and never trailed in the set. The Eagles came within one point at 14-13, but seven straight by the Bluejays allowed Elmhurst to cruise to a one-set lead.
 
The Eagles jumped out to a pair of five-point leads in the second set, but the Bluejays battled back both times. A 6-0 run, including five points on Ani Agbabian's serve, put Elmhurst ahead for the first time in the set at 17-16. The teams traded points until consecutive kills from Melissa Nava, Alli Rogers, and Mel Lundin pulled the Bluejays in front 23-20. Hannah Nimrick finished out the set with a kill.
 
Elmhurst hit .361 (18 kills and five errors on 31 attempts) in the third set and never trailed. Leading 20-18, a Benedictine attack error and kills from Nimrick and Hannah Davis put Elmhurst within two points of the victory. After a Benedictine 4-1 run forced an Elmhurst timeout, Nava gave the Bluejays the win with her match-high 11th kill.
 
Nimrick (.412 hitting percentage, 30 assists, 14 digs) and Rogers (10 digs) both totaled eight kills, while Mary Lawrence and Alyssa Olson both added a match-high three blocks. Amy Schryver led the Bluejays with 19 digs.
 
Keriann Groen paced the Eagles with nine kills, while Taylor Dunwell added eight.
 
Elmhurst travels to Illinois Wesleyan on Tuesday, November 1. The Bluejays can clinch a share of the CCIW regular season title and the right to host the CCIW Tournament with a win against the Titans.