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Elmhurst University Athletics

Events and Results

Events and Results

Freddie Temple during the Elmhurst Women's Volleyball match vs. Aurora University on 9/19/2025. Photo by Norman Cohen/Elmhurst Athletics.
Norman Cohen
1
St. Mary's (IN) SMC-IN 12-7,0-4 Michigan Intercol. Ath. Assn.
3
Winner Elmhurst ELM 8-15,1-4 CCIW
St. Mary's (IN) SMC-IN
12-7,0-4 Michigan Intercol. Ath. Assn.
1
Final
3
Elmhurst ELM
8-15,1-4 CCIW
Winner
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 4 F
St. Mary's (IN) SMC-IN 18 18 25 11 (1)
Elmhurst ELM 25 25 21 25 (3)

Game Recap: Women's Volleyball |

Bluejays Power Past Saint Mary’s in Four-Set Victory

Results

Elmhurst volleyball returned to the win column in commanding fashion, defeating Saint Mary's (Ind.) 3–1 (25–18, 25–18, 21–25, 25–11) Friday night at R.A. Faganel Hall. The Bluejays improved to 8–15 on the season with the non-conference victory.

Elmhurst came out strong in the opening set, hitting .387 as a team behind a balanced attack led by Blair Johnson and Ashley Clardy. After trading points early, the Bluejays broke away on a 6–0 serving run from Gianna Ptaszek that featured an ace and back-to-back kills from Paige Belfield and Keely Larson. Elmhurst closed the set 25–18 with a kill from Johnson.

The Bluejays carried that momentum into the second set, jumping ahead 7–2 and never trailing. Clardy and Larson powered the offense at the net, while setter Freddie Temple ran an efficient attack with 17 assists in the frame. Elmhurst hit .289 and used a service ace from Johnson to clinch another 25–18 win and take a 2–0 lead in the match.

Saint Mary's responded in the third, capitalizing on Bluejay errors to stay alive with a 25–21 victory. Belfield, Clardy, and Larson each posted multiple kills, but the Belles' blocking effort helped them extend the contest to a fourth set.

Elmhurst regained control in dominant fashion, racing out to an 8–0 lead on Alexis Casey's serve in the fourth set. The Bluejays hit .417 in the final frame, with Johnson, Belfield, and Clardy all landing kills and Larson contributing one of her four service aces of the night. Elmhurst sealed the match 25–11 on a Larson kill.

Johnson and Larson led the Bluejay offense with 14 and 11 kills, respectively, combining for 32 points between them. Clardy added 13 kills on .391 hitting, while Belfield finished with 10 kills, six block assists, and 10 digs. Temple orchestrated the attack with 50 assists and chipped in five digs and two aces.

Defensively, Casey anchored the back row with 19 digs and two aces, while Ptaszek added 15 digs and three aces. Elmhurst totaled 54 kills, 12 aces, and eight team blocks while holding Saint Mary's to a .096 hitting percentage.

The Bluejays continue their homestand next week, returning to CCIW play looking to build on the momentum from Friday's win.

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