Falcons Go Five Sets Again

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – The CUW women's volleyball team opened the Illinois Wesleyan Classic against the host Titans on Friday night. For the second-straight match, the Falcons went five sets against a CCIW foe. This time was the Titans on Illinois Wesleyan that rallied to send the Falcons to 2-3 on the year with the 22-25, 25-20, 16-25, 25-22, 15-11 victory.

The Falcons and the Titans battled until the end in the first set. With the set tied at 18, the Green and White took the next three points to apply pressure to CUW. The serve of freshman Abby Proefrock (Grafton, Wis.) brought the bird back and a 6-0 run pushed the lead to 24-21. A kill from junior Maycee Karpfinger (Wauwatosa, Wis.) gave the Falcons the set, 25-21.

The Titans stormed back in the second set and pushed the lead to 22-10. The Falcons did not fold and cut into the lead, but fell, 20-25.

The Falcons flipped the script on IWU in the third set and jumped out to an early 12-4 lead behind the serve of senior Erika Natzke (Morton Grove, Ill.). CUW ballooned the lead up to 23-13 before taking the set, 25-16.

The Green and White stood tall in the fourth set with their backs to the wall. IWU led a majority of the set and propped the lead to 23-17 late in the set. The Falcons continued to dig into the lead and a kill from sophomore Lauren Shroba (Bolingbrook, Ill.) made it, 23-22, but the Titans took the next two points to force the fifth set.

The Green and White took an early lead and never looked back in the fifth set. After an early 4-1 lead, the Titans defended home court and improved to 3-2 on the year.

Lauren Shroba had a great night to lead the flock with 20 kills and a .421 hitting percentage. Maycee Karpfinger had 17 kills and two service aces for a .414 hitting percentage.

Senior Sierra Lee (Kenosha, Wis.) dished out a match0high 34 assists.

Senior Gabriella Kaebisch (Paddock Lake, Wis.) and Maycee Karpfinger both finished with four blocks on Friday.

Senior Jenna Chaussee (Chilton, Wis.) secured 17 digs to lead CUW. Sierra Lee and Abby Proefrock both finished with 15 digs.

Friday marked the first double-double performance of the year for Lee.

CUW closes the IWU Classic on Saturday against Rose-Hulman and Greenville.