McLean County Times

The Illinois Wesleyan University women's volleyball team is preparing for its final home tournament and regular season matches as it hosts the Illinois Wesleyan Invite on Saturday, November 9. The Titans, who hold a record of 19-8, will compete against Centre College and Wisconsin Lutheran College in this event.

The tournament will commence with IWU facing Centre College at 9 a.m., followed by a match between the two visiting teams at 11 a.m. The day will conclude with IWU playing against Wisconsin Lutheran at 1 p.m. This last match also marks the regular season finale for the Titans.

Before the final game, IWU will celebrate Senior Day to honor seniors Abby Erdman, Carly Kuehl, Morgan Harrington, Jessie Sariev, and fifth-year player Jordan Pierce. These players have contributed to winning two College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Regular Season Championships in 2021 and 2024, as well as a CCIW Tournament victory in 2021.

The Titans are coming off a recent loss to No. 21 University of Chicago on Wednesday night. In that match, junior Taylor French achieved a match-high of 14 kills along with ten digs. Junior Kannyn Boyd led the team defensively with eleven digs. Notably, Jordan Pierce surpassed the milestone of 1000 career assists during this game.

Taylor French has been leading the team's offense this season with impressive statistics: she ranks nationally in several categories including kills (411), points (403), and aces (67). Other key contributors include junior Hannah Tellor and freshman Alex Bardouniotis who have made significant impacts with their performances.

Sophomore Sophia Feeney has orchestrated much of the team's offense this season with her leading assist count of 439. Defensively, Kannyn Boyd leads with 427 digs while Eleanor Palmer tops the team in blocks with a total of 71.

This upcoming tournament will be notable as it marks the first-ever meeting between IWU and Centre College's volleyball programs. Meanwhile, IWU holds an advantage over Wisconsin Lutheran College in their series history.

Further details about the tournament schedule and live streaming options are available online for those interested in following these matches closely.