ALBION, Mich. – The Elmhurst University women's volleyball team dropped its 2025 season opener to Anderson University (Ind.) in four tightly contested sets at the Kresge Gymnasium. Playing on a neutral floor in the opener of the 2025 Albion Invitational, the Bluejays battled in every frame before falling 23-25, 25-15, 23-25, 24-26.

Elmhurst fell to 0-1 with the loss, while Anderson moved to 1-0 with the victory.

After coming up just short in the opening set, Elmhurst responded with its most dominant frame of the night, hitting .542 with 15 kills against only two errors to even the match. The third set featured 13 ties and seven lead changes before Anderson closed on a late run. The Bluejays then forced extra points in the fourth but were edged 26-24 to end the match.

Keely Larson powered Elmhurst's offense with 14 kills and a .462 hitting percentage to go with a block. Ashley Clardy matched her with a team-high 15 kills, while Nyah Moustakas added six kills and three blocks. Blair Johnson contributed seven kills and eight total points, and Alexis Casey anchored the defense with a match-best 26 digs. Setter Freddie Temple dished out 38 assists and chipped in two service aces and five digs.

Overall, Elmhurst finished with 51 kills, 41 assists, 68 digs, and seven service aces. Anderson countered with 36 kills, 11 aces, and eight blocks, using timely serving runs in the first and fourth sets to seal the win.

The Bluejays continue their stay in Albion with two matches on Saturday, Aug. 30, taking on Wisconsin Lutheran at 9:00 a.m. CT and host Albion at 11:00 a.m. CT.