BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - The Elmhurst volleyball team dropped its CCIW opener of the 2018 season, falling to 18th-ranked Illinois Wesleyan 25-17, 25-11, 25-12.

The loss dropped Elmhurst to 4-8 overall and 0-1 in the CCIW while IWU improved to 6-5 overall and 1-0 in league play. 

Elmhurst grabbed an early lead in the opening set at 14-11, but IWU stormed back, closing the set on a 14-3 run to earn the win. The Titans won seven of the first 10 points in the second set to open up a 7-3 cushion en route to a 25-11 win. The Titans jumped out to a 9-3 lead in the third before coasting to the 25-12 win to finish the match. 

Elmhurst finished the match with 24 kills and 24 errors in the contest. Bailey Brouwer accounted for 12 of the Bluejays' kills, totaling 12 for the match. Taylor Zurliene added four kills for Elmhurst. Kelly Townsend and Katie Davis totaled six assists apiece while Rachel Shuty led the team in digs with nine. 

Tyler Brown and Rachel Burkman led the TItans with eight kills apiece. Brown added 17 digs while Leah Seielstad tallied 17 assists. 

Elmhurst plays at the UW-Stevens Point Tournament this weekend (September 21-22).