McLean County Times

The Illinois Wesleyan University women's volleyball team, ranked 16th nationally, completed its Texas trip with two consecutive victories on Saturday, September 6. The Titans defeated the University of Puget Sound and Southwestern University in straight sets, improving their season record to 6-0. This marks the best start in program history.

In the opening match against Puget Sound (2-4), Illinois Wesleyan won by set scores of 26-24, 29-27, and 25-19. The Titans recorded 45 kills with a .179 hitting percentage while holding their opponents to 29 kills at a .082 rate. They also led in blocks (7-4), assists (42-27), and digs (61-53). Puget Sound had more aces with nine compared to IWU's four.

Senior Taylor French was named Most Valuable Player of the SU Invitational. Seniors Hannah Tellor and sophomore Eleanor Palmer were also selected for the all-tournament team.

French led the match with 17 kills on a .268 hitting percentage. Tellor contributed nine kills at a .444 clip, and freshman Carly Whitaker added six kills. Sophomore Sophia Feeney and freshman Lauren O'Brien each tallied 18 assists. Feeney matched her career-high with four aces and surpassed the milestone of 1,000 career assists during the second set.

On defense, sophomore Alysa Lawton had a team-high 18 digs. Alex Bardouniotis followed with 14 digs, while French added 13. Tellor led at the net with four blocks; Whitaker and Palmer each contributed three.

During critical moments in the first set, Head Coach Kim Nelson-Brown called a timeout when IWU trailed late. Following this break, O'Brien assisted Palmer for a kill that tied the score at 23 before IWU secured the set win.

The second set saw both teams exchange runs before Feeney’s assist to French marked her career milestone and gave IWU an edge. The Titans eventually took the set after several lead changes.

In the third set, Tellor’s kill initiated a five-point run that shifted momentum back to Illinois Wesleyan after Puget Sound had leveled the score at 18-all. The Titans closed out the sweep following consecutive kills from multiple players and finished with a block by Palmer and Whitaker.

Against Southwestern University (4-2), Illinois Wesleyan again won in straight sets: 25-14, 25-16, and 25-14. French and Bardouniotis each registered ten kills; Palmer had six more. Feeney led with sixteen assists while O'Brien provided fifteen along with three service aces.

Lawton topped defensive efforts again with nineteen digs; Bardouniotis recorded eleven for a double-double performance. Palmer led blocking efforts with three total blocks as Shannon and Tellor chipped in two apiece.

Illinois Wesleyan posted advantages across most statistical categories: they hit .260 compared to Southwestern’s .087; notched more assists (33-24); collected more digs (53-43); out-blocked their opponent (6-3); and had more aces (6-1).

Key moments included an early run in the first set capped by Bardouniotis’ kill for a comfortable lead. In subsequent sets, timely timeouts helped shift momentum back toward IWU after brief deficits or ties.

The Titans are scheduled to continue their road stretch at DePauw University on Wednesday night, September 10, with first serve at 6 p.m. ET.