LISLE, Ill. – The Elmhurst volleyball team closed the book on the 2018 season by scoring a pair of victories at the Benedictine University Invitational.
 
Elmhurst opened the day with a four-set win over the tournament host Benedictine University before sweeping Lincoln College (Ill.) in three sets in the Bluejays' final game of the season. Elmhurst closed the season with a 12-19 overall record. 
 
ELMHURST 3, BENEDICTINE 1 – Elmhurst opened the day by taking down Benedictine in four sets (18-25, 25-17, 25-10, 25-18).
 
Benedictine (15-11) never trailed in the opening set, jumping to a quick 19-10 lead before pulling away for the 25-18 victory. The Eagles sprinted out to a 5-0 lead in the second, but Elmhurst quickly turned the tables, pulling even at 7-7 with a 7-2 run. With the score even at 9-9, Elmhurst quickly pulled in front, building 20-10 cushion with a 10-1 run before closing out the set 25-17.

It was all Elmhurst in the third set as the Bluejays scored the first six points and 10 of the first even points to build a quick 10-1 lead. Benedictine came no closer than eight points for the remainder of the set as the Bluejays cruised to the 25-10 win.
 
With the score even at 9-all in the fourth, Elmhurst ripped off an 8-4 run to build a 17-13 lead. The Eagles would never get closer than a four point deficit as Elmhurst finished off the set (25-18) and the match.
 
Elmhurst hit .302 for the match with 52 kills and just 13 errors in 129 swings. Taylor Zurliene powered Elmhurst's offense with 16 kills while Bailey Brouwer finished with 15. Zurliene hit .424 (16-2-33) while Brouwer hit .542 (15-2-24) for the match. Katie Davis led the team in assists with 33 while Molly Brennan finished with a team-best 13 digs. Davis and Valerie Thomas finished with 12d digs apiece for Elmhurst.
 
Molly Stock paced Benedictine with 13 kills while Claudia Schmidt totaled 11. Kristina Billie tallied 21 digs for the Eagles.
 
ELMHURST 3, LINCOLN 0 – The Bluejays finished the season with a victory, topping Lincoln 27-25, 25-12, 25-20.
 
The opening set was back-and-forth with neither team able to build more than a three-point lead early. The score was even at 23-23 before a block from Emily Duis and Zurliene gave Elmhurst a set point. Lincoln fought off the first set point and took a 25-24 lead, but a kill from Duis, a block from Duis and Brouwer, and a kill from Brouwer gave Elmhurst the set at 27-25.
 
Elmhurst never trailed in the second set, racing out to an early lead and building a 20-10 cushion before coating to the 25-12 win. The Bluejays never trailed in the third set but it took some time to pull away from the Lynx. Elmhurst led 17-14 but Lincoln pulled even at 17-17. Five straight points behind the serve of Brennan gave the Bluejays a 22-17 lead. Elmhurst went on to put the set away at 25-20, wrapping up the match in the process.
 
Elmhurst hit .175 for the contest with 44 kills and 22 errors in 126 swings. Duis led Elmhurst with nine kills and five blocks while Zurliene finished with eight kill and 11 digs. Brouwer and Kayla Mast tallied seven kills apiece in the win. Davis totaled 37 assists o lead the team while Thomas registered a team-best 18 digs.