On Tuesday, September 16 the Aurora University Volleyball team hosted the Dominican University Stars in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference opener and the first game in the newly renovated Thornton Gymnasium. AU fell in five ultra competitive sets, 3-2 (25-19, 25-23, 19-25, 19-25, 13-15) in front of a energetic AU crowd.

The Spartans opened up the contest with momentum and a large amount of energy, winning the first two sets 25-19 and 25-23. In the second set, AU trailed 12-10 before going on a 10-4 run to take control of the set.

Dominican came back strong in the next two matches topping the Spartans with a 25-19 win both sets.  The teams battled it out switching on and off with never gaining more than a four point lead against the other opponent.  In the last match the teams stayed neck in neck until the last two plays.  The Spartans fell 15-13 in the last set, concluding with a loss of 3-2 to the Stars.

Leading the Spartans offensively was sophomore Peyton McKenzie with 16 kills and two blocks, senior setter Lexi O'Boyle had 25 assists and sophomore Andrea Kappelman led the with 20 digs and contributed two assists for the Spartans

With the loss, AU is now 8-5 overall and 0-1 in the NACC. Next action for the Spartan volleyball team comes on Friday, September 19 when they travel to Illinois Wesleyan University. AU takes on Illinois Wesleyan (3:30 p.m.) and Anderson University (5:30 p.m.) in Bloomington, Illinois.