MILWAUKEE, Wis. – The Elmhurst University volleyball team closed out the 2021 regular season by splitting a pair of matches at the Wisconsin Lutheran College Invitational. The Bluejays toppled the host Warriors in five sets before falling 3-0 to Loras College.
 
ELMHURST 3, WIS. LUTHERAN 2 – The Bluejays survived a pair of match points and rallied back in the fifth set to defeat Wisconsin Lutheran 25-13, 21-25, 25-22, 16-25, 17-15.
 
Elmhurst raced out to a quick 1-0 lead, opening up a 15-6 lead in the first set and cruising to the 25-13 win. The Warriors answered back in the second, breaking a 12-12 tie with a 3-0 run. Elmhurst pulled wo within two points at 20-18, but the Warriors pulled away for the 25-21 win.
 
Elmhurst turned a 9-8 lead in the third set into a six-point cushion with a 6-1 run. Wisconsin Lutheran battled back to pull even at 20-all and moved in front at 22-21, but the Bluejays rattled off the final four points to take the set 25-21. Wisconsin Lutheran built a quick 9-4 lead in the fourth and never looked back, pulling away for the nine-point win and setting up a decisive fifth set.
 
Elmhurst jumped out to a 7-2 lead in the fifth, but the Warriors raced back with an 11-3 run to open up a 13-10 advantage. Elmhurst fought off a pair of match points to pull even at 14-14. Wisconsin Lutheran fought off an Elmhurst match point at 15-14, but a kill from Jada Wiley and a Warrior error gave Elmhurst the match at 17-15.
 
Elmhurst hit .161 for the match with 60 kills and 29 errors in 192 attempts. The Bluejays added nine blocks and eight aces in the match. Wiley and Emily Duis finished with 15 kills apiece to pace the Bluejays. Wiley added three blocks while Duis finished with five. Taylor Zurliene added 14 kills and 18 digs while Elise Rossing finished with seven kills for the Bluejays. Erin Murray added 28 assists and three aces while Kellyn Kennedy tallied 21 assists. Valerie Thomas led the team in digs with 25 while Payton Ceh finished with 18.
 
Jenna Charron led Wisconsin Lutheran (11-14) with 18 kills and 18 digs. Carly Heuer added 16 kills for the Warriors.
 
LORAS 3, ELMHURST 0 – Elmhurst closed out the tournament with a 25-17, 25-16, 25-20 loss to Loras College.
 
Loras (20-9) turned a 15-15 tie in the first set into a 21-16 lead with a 6-1 run. The Duhawks put the set away at 25-17 and then promptly led wire-to-wire in the second set, coasting to the 25-16 win. Loras opened the third set on a 7-2 run and never looked back, finishing the three set sweep with a 25-20 win in the third.
 
Elmhurst struggled with its offense, totaling 27 kills and 27 errors in 131 swings. Wiley led the Bluejays with eight kills and three blocks while Rossing finished with five kills. Thomas led the squad in digs with 22 while Murray tallied 13 assists and three aces.
 
Elmhurst (15-12) plays host to North Park University on Tuesday, November 2, in the opening round of the 2021 CCIW Tournament.