BANNOCKBURN, Ill. --- The Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference's (CCAC) top two teams met on Tuesday nights as the TIU Trojans hosted the Olivet Nazarene Tigers in their lone regular season match-up. Coming off a big 3-2 non-conference win at Northwestern Ohio last Saturday, the Trojans looked to ride their hot streak from the week into Tuesday against the league's last remaining unbeaten team.

Trinity started out strong with an impressive 8-3 run to open the first set before the Tigers came back to take the lead. ONU would score seven of the final eight points of the frame to take the first set by a score of 25-18.

The Trojans quickly responded in the second with a back-and-forth duel with ONU's net offense. Trinity capitalized on kills by Grace Mauersberger and Matty Hawkins, plus a service ace from Brianna Torres to pad their cushion and hold off the Tigers for a 25-21 win in the second. 

Just like the third set, TIU remained resilient despite a tough ONU attack. With the help of Tiger attacking errors, plus a Jaylyn Freeman service ace and Torres kill, the Trojans began to find the open spaces on the floor on their attacks, notching 14 kills in the third set en route to a 25-23 win.

Despite falling behind two sets to one, ONU didn't flinch as their offense and defense picked them up in the fourth. In a match where the Tigers dominated the blocking game, ONU greatly slowed the Trojans attack down to take the frame 25-19 and force a fifth set.

Playing in their fifth five-set match this season, the Trojans remained greatly focused on finishing the match and thrived down the stretch. Backed by four Tiger attack errors, Trinity opened up a 5-1 lead, and was able to score their final four points on ONU mistakes, finishing the thrilling battle of the CCAC's top teams with TIU claiming victory in the deciding set, 15-11. 

Torres led the Trojans with 19 kills in the win, plus 17 digs on defense. Madison Feagans, starting in just the second match of her career, notched 44 assists, while Matty Hawkins recorded 11 kills and two of TIU's four blocks. Freeman notched a game-high 25 digs and was one of four Trojans with two service aces each, as well as Torres, Grace Mauerberger and Emma Gallegos.

Additional Match Notes

• Tuesday's win over Olivet Nazarene was only the second time the Trojans have ever defeated the Tigers. TIU's last victory over ONU came on Oct. 26, 2010.

• The victory snaps a ten match losing streak against ONU.

• Trinity's win extends their impressive winning streak in five-set matches to 14. TIU last loss in a five-set match came against Grace (Ind.) on Nov. 30, 2018 at the NCCAA Tournament in Point Lookout, Missouri.

• TIU and ONU saw Tuesday's match change leads seven times, and be tied 16 times throughout the night.

• Trinity International pulls with one half game of first place in the CCAC following tonight's victory. The Trojans have not won an outright conference regular season championship since 2004.

• Brianna Torres recorded career-highs in both kills (19) and attack attempts (53).

• In defeating his alma mater, TIU head coach Luke Ward earned the 92nd win of his coaching career, surpassing Linsey Ebert (2001-04) for the second most wins in program history by a head coach. Ward is four victories from passing Jill Rokosik (2006-10) as the winningest women's volleyball coach in school history.

TIU (11-4) will hit the road this Thursday, March 11 as they take on the Red Lions of Lincoln Christian and the University of Health Science & Pharmacy in a pair of matches at LCU's Gaston Arena. The Trojans will face Lincoln Christian first at 4:00pm CT, followed by UHSP at approximately 6:00pm. Matches can be watched on the LCU Live Stream.

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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.