Watertown, Wis.- The Illinois Tech volleyball team challenged 13-5 Maranatha Wild Cats on 
Tuesday night, but came up short, dropping the match in 3 sets. 

Set one started off as a point battle as each team went on mini runs, exchanging the lead 
multiple times. However, it was a line of kills from Maranatha's Kelli Fox and Alexis Johnson that 
helped the Wildcats take a 19-14 lead. Hawks soon answered with their own streak of kills that 
inched them back to 23-24 before Maranatha's Stacy Reinke ended set with a kill from Emily 
Thompson.

Set two opened again with a point for point exchange until a series Hawk errors that allowed 
Maranatha to pull away with a 10-16 lead. Hawks attempted to chip away at the deficit with kills 
from Taylor Duman, Shea Manley, and Irena Grauzinis. However, errors continued to stunt the 
Hawks. Maranatha took set 2, 25 to 20.

Tech responded with a strong resurgence in set three with a defensive intensity that 
handicapped Maranatha's offense. However, errors continued to riddle the hawks allowing 
Maranatha a series of mini runs that helped them finish the set 25-16.

Although Tech's offense struggled, defense had an outstanding performance digging 57 total 
balls. Adriane Walther led with 18 digs while also assisting with 13 sets. Taylor Duman lead 
in kills with 10 and a .217 hitting percentage, She Manley followed hitting .077 with 8 kills and 
assisting with 5.

The loss brings Tech's record to 7-8. The Hawks will go on to host Earlham College and Trine 
University in the Illinois Tech Tri match this coming weekend.