DAVENPORT, Iowa --- Following a tough opening to the 2021 season a week ago in a tri-match in Michigan, the Trinity International women's volleyball team returned to the court on Tuesday night as they opened up Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) play against the Fighting Bees of Saint Ambrose in eastern Iowa. Having won their previous five matches against the Bees, TIU looked to make it six straight as they looked to kickoff CCAC play on the right note.

TIU would begin the opening set strong with an impressive 11-3 rally and nine team kills. Saint Ambrose would struggle several times during the match with attack errors, including eight in the opening frame, which saw the Trojans win 25-17.

In the second, Trinity would battle back and forth for control of the lead, before closing on a 6-3 lead to take the set 25-21. The Trojans were greatly improved in their ball handling from their previous matches a week ago, being able to string together several consistent rallies, and often capitalizing on SAU errors.

The Bees would control much of the third set, but TIU wouldn't fall more than four points behind at any point. Facing consecutive set points for SAU, the Trojans rallied on kills by Lana Vujosevic andMadison Williams, closing the match on a crucial service ace by Madeline Trippett, and final kill by Vujosevic to take the third set 26-24 and sweep the match in straight sets.

Brianna Torres led Trinity with 14 kills on offense and 20 digs on defense, while setter Anna Skrzypchak notched 24 kills on the night. Vujosevic and Freeman both posted double-digit dig numbers with 14 and 13 respectively, while Matty Hawkins recorded three block assists in the win.

ADDITIONAL GAME NOTES

• TIU improves to 8-10 all-time against Saint Ambrose with their win on Tuesday night.

• Tuesday's win was Trinity's sixth consecutive over SAU, a streak dating back to 2018. 

• Under head coach Luke Ward, the Trojans are now 5-2 in their first conference match of the season, including 5-1 in their last six.

• Trinity has now won 12 of their last 15 regular season conference matches dating back to last season.

• Saint Ambrose committed 25 errors in their loss to TIU, while the Trojans surrendered just 15 points via errors.

• Matty Hawkins' three block assists give her 289 total blocks on her career, moving her past Samantha Stoller (2011-14) for fourth on the program's all-time blocking list.

• With 13 digs against SAU, Jaylyn Freeman recorded her 500th dig as a Trojan, giving her 1,827 for her college career (Freeman previously played at Gadsden State Community College).

• Tuesday's win was head coach Luke Ward's 99th of his career. The seventh year coach, who has spent his entire career at Trinity, became the program's all-time winningest coach last season when he earned his 96th career win. TIU's next win will make him the first head coach in program history to reach 100 victories.

UP NEXT

The Trojans (1-2) will head out west to the Arizona desert for three matches over the Labor Day weekend, beginning with the Park University-Arizona Buccaneers and Arizona Christian Firestorm in the Firestorm Labor Day Invite on Friday, September 3. First serve for the Trojans and Buccaneers is scheduled for 5:00pm MST, and can be watched LIVE on the GSAC 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.