BANNOCKBURN, Ill. --- The Trojans' brilliant season suffered a minor setback on Tuesday night, with Trinity dropping a five-set thriller at Van Dixhorn Arena to the Titans of Indiana University South Bend.
The Trojans limped out of the gate in the first set, eventually conceding seven straight points to trail by a 15-9 margin. It was then that the Trojans found their rhythm, surging ahead on the merits of a blistering 13-4 run. With the opening set hanging in the balance, the Trojans turned to their talented freshman duo, with Isabella Acosta nabbing a kill to queue up set point before Theresa Romero found some vacant real estate across the net to seal the deal just two points later, lifting the Trojans to a 1-0 advantage in the best of five battle.

The second set brought more tightly contested, thrilling volleyball, with neither of the two sides managing to cut out any significant breathing room for the duration of the stanza. Trojan fifth-year star Brianna Torres caught fire for the home side, posting a near-incomprehensible nine kills in the set, but the Trojans fell after a late 4-0 Titan run put South Bend in prime position to claim the set, 25-22, and even the match at one set apiece.

The third set brought about an uncharacteristic lull for the Trojans, who fell behind early and never recovered. The Trojans surrendered six straight points to fall behind, 9-3, and allowed another four consecutive scores late to put the set out of reach. Despite a valiant effort highlighted by four straight scores late in the set and five more kills for the luminescent Torres, the deficit was too much for Trinity, who dropped the set, 25-18, to set up a must-win fourth stanza.

With their backs to the wall, the Trojans sensed the urgency, rattling off five straight points early behind outstanding service from Desirae Pisano. After barely staying in front for much of the set, the Trojans conjured up a decisive run of four straight that ballooned their slim 20-18 lead into a 24-18 advantage. In need of one point to seal it, the Trojans surrendered three opportunities in a row before Torres sealed the deal on her sixth kill of the set, a frame that also witnessed a superb complementary effort from Lana Vujosevic, who notched five kills of her own.

The Trojans fell behind early in the tiebreaker set but seemed to be in control after rattling off four straight points to go up 5-3. However, the Titans remarkably one-upped the Trojan streak, finding their best form of the match by scoring seven in a row and 11 of the next 12 to seize the decisive set. The Trojans battled to the last, with Torres adding yet another kill for good measure on the penultimate play, but the Titans sealed the deal, winning the set, 15-7, and the match with it.

The Trojans struggled to show their best on Tuesday night, hitting just .081 as a team, but they did exhibit their resolve and talent by managing to make the match go the distance. Brianna Torres added to her already outstanding campaign with a season-high 26 kills while chipping in with 16 digs, while star setter Anna Skrzypchak flashed the ability that netted her this past week's NCCAA honors with a season-high 52 assists. Jaylyn Freeman and Emma Gallegos also offered strong statistical contributions for the Trojans, putting up 19 digs apiece.

Up Next:
The Trojans (13-4, 3-2) will look to bounce back when they travel to Gary, Indiana on Thursday evening to face off with Indiana University Northwest in another conference clash.
 
 

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TIU Trojans
TIU Women's Volleyball

 
 

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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.