BANNCOCKBURN, Ill. --- One night after rallying from two sets down to stun St. Francis (IL) at home, the TIU women's volleyball team returned to Van Dixhorn Arena to take on the Governors State Jaguars in Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) action in their final match of the 2021 regular season. Looking to lock up seeding for the upcoming CCAC Tournament, the Trojans looked to close the season out strong and secure the fourth-seed and a first round home match with a win.

Much like their comeback win a night earlier, the Trojans started slow in the first set, but quickly flipped the switch with a 7-0 run to jump ahead 15-9 in the opening frame. With much of the offense firing on all cylinders early, Trinity rolled to a 25-15 win in the first.

Things would get much closer in the second set, despite another fast start from TIU. Governors State would rally from down five points to tie the frame up at 19 points a piece before key Jaguar errors, and kills by Grace Mauersberger and Jazmin Coronado helped seal the deal for a 26-24 victory.

Trinity would use a pair of 5-0 runs in the third set to quickly take control of the frame, on the cusp of a sweep. On a night where TIU again dominated from the service line, the Trojans rolled in the third set to a 25-17 win to complete the 3-0 sweep.

Brianna Torres ended the night with a match-high 15 kills for the Trojans, while Matty Hawkins posted eight with three solo blocks. Madeline Trippett recorded five service aces in the win, as Anna Skrzypchak notched 34 assists. On defense, Jaylyn Freeman posted 14 digs.

ADDITIONAL GAME NOTES

• TIU improves to 7-0 all-time against Governors State in women's volleyball. Five of their seven victories have come in three-sets sweeps, including Wednesday's win.

• The Trojans have won their last four matches, marking the first time in program history that TIU has won four in a row to close out the regular season.

• Trinity's four-match winning streak is their second longest this season, following eight consecutive wins from Sept. 14-24.

• Prior to Wednesday's match, TIU honored their five graduating seniors playing in their final regular season home match of their career. They were Jaylyn Freeman, Madeline Trippett, Matty Hawkins, Brianna Torres, and Grace Mauersberger.

• The Trojans finish in the top four in the CCAC's regular season standings for the third consecutive season with their win over GSU.

• Trinity finishes the regular season with 18 regular season wins, their most since winning 23 regular season matches in 2019.

• TIU posted nine service aces in Wednesday's win, while the Jaguars posted five.

• Governors State dominated at the net with seven blocks. Trinity ended the night with four total blocks.

• Madeline Trippett set a new career-high with five service aces against the Jaguars, shattering her previous career-best of two.

• Anna Skrzypchak ends the regular season with 966 total assists, the eighth most in a single season in program history.

• Outside hitter Grace Mauersberger posted her 800th career kill on Wednesday night with six. Mauersberger, who previously played at St. Cloud Technical Community College in Minnesota, has posted 307 kills since joining the TIU program in 2020.

UP NEXT

The Trojans finish the 2021 regular season with a final record of 18-13, and 13-5 in conference play. TIU will now turn their attention to the postseason and the CCAC Tournament next week. Having clinched the fourth-seed with their win over Governors State, Trinity will host a quarterfinal round match next Tuesday, November 9 at Van Dixhorn Arena at 7:00pm CT against an opponent to be determined. The game will be broadcast LIVE on the Trojan Sports Network.
 

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Trinity International University is a comprehensive, national university affiliated with the Evangelical Free Church of America and located in Bannockburn, Illinois, 25 miles north of Chicago. TIU educates men and women to engage in God's redemptive work in the world by cultivating academic excellence, Christian faithfulness and lifelong learning.