ELMHURST, Ill. – The Elmhurst volleyball team's rally fell just short in a five-set loss to 11^th-ranked Illinois Wesleyan University.

Elmhurst (10-18, 5-3 CCIW) closed out its regular season with a  15-25, 26-24, 18-25, 25-19, 12-15 loss to Illinois Wesleyan (22-6, 6-2 CCIW). The Bluejays secured the fourth seed in the upcoming CCIW Tournament with the loss.
 
After dropping the opening set 25-15, the Bluejays erased a four-point deficit in the second set after trailing 18-14. Elmhurst pulled even at 22-all but the Titans scored the next two points to set up a pair of set points. An error on the Titans and an ace from Taylor Nirchi brought the Bluejays even at 24-24. Back-to-back kills from Nirchi and Mel Lundin wrapped up the set for the Bluejays at 26-24.
 
The third set was even at 16-16 before the Titans used a 9-2 run to close out the set, taking a 2-1 lead in the process. Elmhurst led for nearly the entire fourth set, storming out a 16-10 lead and never looking back, putting away the Titans at 25-19 following a kill from Lundin.
 
Elmhurt scored the first three point of the decisive fifth set, but the Titans answered right back with three of their own to pull even at 3-3. The two teams traded points over the next 10 serves with the score being even at 8-8 just after the side change. A 4-0 run by IWU gave the Titans a 12-8 lead. Elmhurst closed to within two at 12-10, but the Titans added two points on a pair of kills from Kyleigh Block. Elmhurst fought off two match points but a block from Block and Maddie Williams ended the set at 15-12 and closed out the match for the Titans.
 
Elmhusrt was led by its six seniors playing in their final game at R.A. Faganel Hall. Lundin powered down a match-high 20 kills while hitting a team-best .378. Hannah Davis added 13 kills while Alli Rogers finished with nine. Allie Skowron totaled five kills and led the squad with four blocks. Nirchi tallied a double-double of 38 assists and 10 digs while Amy Schryver led the squad in digs with 21.
 
Tyler Brown and Rachel Burkman powered the Titans in the victory with 15 kills apiece. Brown added a team-best 23 digs while Block tallied eight kills and 20 digs.
 
Seeded fourth at the CCIW Tournament, the Bluejays will face the top-seed and the tournament host, Millikin University on Friday, November 3, at 7:00 p.m. Carthage and Illinois Wesleyan face off in the first semifinal at 4:30 p.m. The championship match will be held on Saturday, November 4, at 6:00 p.m. with the winner earning the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Championship.