WHEATON, IL –  The Beloit College women's volleyball team faced two challenging match-ups this evening. Their first match was against a strong Wheaton squad. The Buccaneers (2-10, 0-1 MWC) ultimately fell  3-0 (10-25, 11-25, 14-25) in a hard-fought contest. While the scoreboard favored Wheaton, Beloit showed flashes of resilience and individual effort throughout the match.
In their second match of the afternoon, the Bucs faced the Scarlet Hawks of the Illinois Institute of Technology. The Scarlet Hawks (3-9, 0-2 NACC) defeated the Bucs in straight sets (16-25, 14-25, 13-25). 

Match 1 vs Wheaton:
Beloit opened the first set with some early competitiveness, but the Thunder (15-4, 1-1 CCIW) quickly established dominance. Key offensive contributions for Beloit in this set came from Selin Tufte (Clarkdale, Ariz.), who led the team with 3 kills. The team struggled with consistency in their attack. Defensively, Beloit managed to block one attack, a combined effort early in the set.

The second set saw Beloit continue to battle, improving their hitting percentage to .034. Tufte once again was a notable presence, contributing 3.5 points with both kills and defensive plays. Lizzie Paschal (Holbrook, AZ) also stepped up offensively, adding 2 kills to the team's effort. The Buccaneers' defense remained active, with several players recording digs, but Wheaton's consistent attack proved difficult to contain.

The final set marked Beloit's strongest offensive performance, with the team registering 6 kills and a higher hitting percentage than the previous two sets. Paschal continued her good form, contributing 2 kills, while Kierra Rayne Hoover (Albuquerque, New Mexico) also found success with 2 kills. The team showed improved communication and execution in various plays, including a service ace from Gerard. Despite their efforts, Wheaton maintained their lead to close out the match.

Match 2 vs IIT: 
Offensively, Naomi Murphy (Dubuque, Iowa) led the charge for Beloit, registering 6 kills with a .154 hitting percentage. Maddisyn Adams (Stockett, MT) contributed 3 kills on 9 attempts, hitting .111, and added 8 digs to her stat line, showcasing her all-around game. Setters Emily Ortiz (Aurora, IL) and Aaliyah Gerard (Aiea, HI) were instrumental in facilitating the offense, dishing out 7 assists each. Gerard also contributed defensively with 2 digs and served consistently for the Buccaneers. Tufte also made her presence felt with 5 kills and 11 digs.
Beloit's blocking game, while not as prolific as Illinois Tech's, still saw contributions. Naomi Murphy (Dubuque, Iowa) and Kyra Suiter-Meyers (Orfordville, Wis.) each recorded a block assist, challenging Illinois Tech's attackers at the net.

The Buccaneers return home to Flood Arena on Tuesday, September 30th to host the Alverno Inferno. First serve is set for 7 pm.