ELMHURST, Ill. – The Elmhurst volleyball team closed out the second day of its own tournament with a three-set loss to Aurora University.
 
Elmhurst (10-17) fell by scores of 25-17, 26-24, 25-20.
 
Aurora (18-6) took the opening set 25-17 after racing out to a 7-0 lead. Elmhurst managed to close to within three points at 15-12, but the Bluejays came no closer as Aurora pulled away for the eight-point win in the set.

Aurora built an early 10-6 lead in the second and led 19-16 late in the set, before Elmhurst rallied. Trailing 20-17, the Bluejays used a 6-1 run to take a 23-21 lead. Aurora won the next two points to pull even at 23-all before a kill from Bailey Brouwer gave Elmhurst a set point. An Elmhurst error evened the score at 24-24 and Aurora put the set away with back-to-back kills from Karli Chambers.
 
The Spartans built an 18-15 lead in the third only for Elmhurst to use a 5-1 run to move in front at 20-19. Aurora responded by winning the next six points to put the set and the match away.
 
Elmhurst hit .212 for the contest with 43 kills and 18 errors in 118 attacks. Brouwer led the way for the Bluejays with 14 kills and three blocks. Taylor Zurliene and Alexandra Tyggum added nine kills apiece for the Bluejays. Payton Froats chipped in with five kills for the Bluejays. Kelly Townsend led the squad in assists with 37 while also serving up a pair of aces. Zurliene tallied a team-best 16 digs while Valerie Thomas totaled 13 digs.
 
Chambers powered Aurora with 13 kills while Katie Vondra finished with 10 kills and 11 digs.
 
Elmhurst hosts North Park University on Wednesday, October 24.