BANNOCKBURN, Ill. --- After a difficult previous week that saw the back-to-back losses for the first time this season, the TIU women's volleyball team returned home to Van Dixhorn Arena on Tuesday night to host the Titans of Indiana University-South Bend in Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) play. Battling for control of third place in the conference standings, the Trojans looked to put last week's struggles behind them as they took on another quality CCAC opponent.

The opening set of the night would provide the most intense action, as both Trinity and IU-South Bend traded points in a back-and-forth fight. After taking the lead at 12-11 on a Titan service error, the Trojans never looked back as the offense went to work with a service ace by Jaylyn Freeman, kills by Brianna Torres and a number of attack errors by IU-South Bend. Despite ten attack errors of their own, TIU would edge the Titans for a 25-22 win in the opening frame.

The Trojans would dominate the evening going forward as the Titans could not find the answer against TIU's offense, or against their strong defense at the net. Trinity would lead by as many as 11 points twice during the second set as the Trojans focus was set on setting up a solid attack with each ball hit onto their side en route to an impressive 25-15 second set victory.

In the third, the strong TIU play continued with a evening high .244 attack percentage in the set. Trinity would force IU-South Bend into eight receiving errors throughout the night in their relentless push. The Trojans would jump out to another fast start and would ride their momentum of strong offense and defense to a 25-18 win in the third, and the clean sweep of the match, 3-0.

Brianna Torres led the match with 14 kills each in the win, as well as a match-high 20 digs on defense. Anna Skrzypchak recorded 42 assists, while Matty Hawkins notched three solo blocks at the net. Torres, along with Skrzypchak, Freeman and  Madeline Trippett also recorded a pair of service aces each.

Additional Match Notes

• Thursday's victory improves their all-time record against IU-South Bend to 3-6 all-time. The win also marks the first set of consecutive victories over the Titans after winning in their previous meeting in October of 2019.

• The Trojans notched eight total service aces in the win to the Titans two. 

• Trinity out blocked IU-South Bend 7-5 at the net.

• Anna Skrzypchak's 42 assists in the win not only set a new career-high, but also broke three single-match program records. Most assists in a three-set match, most in a three-set match against a conference opponent, and most in a three-set match at home.   

• Brianna Torres' two service aces moved her to fifth all-time on the program's career service ace list, passing Allison Boggs (2010-13) with 113.     

• With two solo blocks against the Titans, Deborah Kovalczuk is now seven all-time in school history in solo blocks (55), passing Katie Wilson (2008-11).

• With his 95th career win on Tuesday night, head coach Luke Ward has tied Jill Rokosik (2006-10), as the winningest coach in TIU women's volleyball history.

• The win improves TIU's CCAC record to 10-3, and moves them into third place in the league standings with three regular season matches to go. The Trojans trail second place Trinity Christan by one half game, and lead fourth place Cardinal Stritch by the same margin.

• TIU's three remaining matches are against CCAC opponents that currently sit outside the top eight in the conference standings.

NEXT UP

TIU (14-7) will return to action on Thursday, March 25 as they visit the Cardinal Stritch Wolves in Milwaukee. First serve is scheduled for 7:00pm from the CSU Fieldhouse and can be watched LIVE on the Wolves 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.