JOLIET, Ill. — IU South Bend volleyball continued its scorching run of form Tuesday night, avenging an early-season loss to St. Francis (Ill.) with a 3-1 road victory (25-17, 25-22, 22-25, 25-19) inside the Pat Sullivan Center.
The win marked the fifth-straight for the Titans (10-16, 6-6 CCAC), all against conference opponents. During the streak, IU South Bend has dropped just one set — the lone blemish coming in the third frame of this matchup — as the Titans continued to surge through the second half of league play.
Emalee Maesch and Alyssa Carson powered the attack with 16 kills apiece, combining for 34 total points to lead the offense. Maesch added 15 digs, while Carson posted a .205 hitting percentage on 44 swings. Ryleigh Grott chipped in with five kills and three service aces, while Kendall Gerdes and Jillian Bruckner each provided timely offense at the net.
Setter Brynn Lake directed a balanced effort with 33 assists, four kills, and a service ace, helping the Titans hit .126 as a team while limiting the Saints to just .044.
Defensively, Sydney Hanna was a force in the back row, digging up 27 balls, as IU South Bend’s coverage neutralized St. Francis’ top hitters. Emily Adams added 10 digs and five service aces, leading the Titans to 13 aces as a team.
The win also served as payback for a four-set defeat earlier this season in South Bend, when St. Francis handed the Titans a home loss. This time, IU South Bend flipped the script — using poise and aggressive serving to control the pace throughout the night.
With the victory, the Titans climbed to an even .500 in conference play (6–6) and will look to keep their momentum rolling as they continue a three-match roadstand at Governors State on Thursday at 7:00 pm.