SOUTH BEND — IU South Bend’s 2026 season came to a close Tuesday night as Governors State took the opening-round matchup of the CCAC Tournament in four sets inside the Student Activities Center.
The fourth-seeded Titans battled the Jaguars to a 23-25, 25-20, 15-25, 21-25 decision, finishing the year with a 14-19 overall record and 10-8 mark in conference play.
It marked the third meeting between the two programs this season, with Governors State managing to come away with the victory each time. The Titans made Tuesday’s postseason matchup competitive early, nearly stealing the opening frame before responding with their best volleyball of the night in the second.
IUSB hit .333 with 17 kills in the second set and pulled away late after Governors State had evened the score at 18. Kadence Brumitt and Emalee Maesch helped fuel the finishing run before Alyssa Carson put away set point for the 25-20 victory.
Governors State regained control in the third before the Titans battled throughout the fourth. IUSB held a 15-13 advantage midway through the final frame and remained within striking distance late, but the Jaguars found enough separation down the stretch to close the match and end the Titans’ season.
Maesch led IU South Bend with 12 kills, while Carson and Brumitt each added 10. Brumitt also turned in a strong defensive performance with a match-high 26 digs, and Mallorie Elliott finished with 19 assists and 19 digs. Brynn Lake added 19 assists and three service aces in the final match of her Titan career.
While Tuesday brought an earlier postseason exit than IUSB hoped for, the season represented another step forward for the program.
The Titans finished fourth in the CCAC standings, securing a home tournament match after entering the postseason as the No. 4 seed. Their 14 overall victories and 10 conference wins were both the program’s most since 2022.
A season that featured nine sweeps, several strong stretches in conference play and meaningful contributions throughout the roster ultimately came to an end at home Tuesday night. Even with the finish, IU South Bend closes 2026 having produced its strongest conference campaign in four years and plenty to build upon moving forward.
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