McLean County Times

The Illinois Wesleyan University men's volleyball team faced their first defeat of the season against Aurora University on Thursday night. The Titans, who now hold a record of 4-1, lost in straight sets to the Spartans, with scores of 25-16, 25-14, and 25-12.

Illinois Wesleyan struggled from the outset and ended the match with only 22 kills and a .047 attack percentage. In contrast, Aurora University achieved 33 kills with a .356 attack percentage. The Titans also lagged behind in other statistics: digs (33-29), assists (31-20), aces (10-1), and blocks (4-2).

Bryce Williams led the Titans with six kills. Jake Kougan contributed five kills, while Patrick Dasbach added four. Luke Hartke recorded the team's sole ace during the game.

Vince DiCosola and Brenden Reutter shared setting responsibilities for Illinois Wesleyan. DiCosola led with 11 assists and Reutter had eight.

In defense, Jace Milka was at the forefront with eight digs. Ryan Myers followed with six digs, and Trey Marek achieved a career-high of five digs. Reutter managed two blocks while Dasbach and Williams each had one block.

Looking ahead, the Titans will have a break over the weekend before returning to play at home in seven consecutive matches at Shirk Center. They are set to face Marian University on Tuesday, January 28th at 7 p.m.