The Aurora University women's volleyball team opened the 2022 Jim Coleman Memorial Classic Tournament but not before a non-conference contest with Illinois Wesleyan University and then the Jim Coleman night cap against Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. The Spartans fell to the Titans in four thrilling sets 3-1 and defeated the Fightin' Engineers 3-2 with a come from behind win.


MATCH ONE SCORE: RV Illinois Wesleyan University 3, Aurora University 1 (25-20, 25-27, 23-25, 23-25)
MATCH TWO SCORE: Aurora University 3, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology 2 (27-29, 25-21, 19-25, 25-16, 15-12)
LOCATION: Thornton Gymnasium, Aurora, Illinois 
RECORD: Aurora University 6-4 overall and 1-0 in the NACC


vs. Illinois Wesleyan University 
    - In the opening set, AU jumped out to an early 12-4 lead with kills coming from Sydnei Avery, Izzie Jackson, Kacie Wenzel, and Addy Gruse. 
    - Leading 21-15, AU let the Titans sneak into the set at 23-20.
    - A kill from Kacie Wenzel and an attack error by the Titans ended the set with a 25-20 win.
    - IWU pulled out to an early lead in the second set and AU fell behind 11-6. 
    - The Spartans battled back late in the set, but could not gain the lead and fell 27-25.
    - The third set saw the Spartans take an early 11-9 lead, their only lead of the set. 
    - Late kills from Sydnei Avery pulled the Spartans back within one, but the Titans would take the set 25-23. 
    - The fourth set was much like the third, tight throughout.
    - IWU grabbed the lead midway through the set and would not look back as they would win 25-23. 

vs. Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology 
    - The first set was a back and forth battle between the Spartans and the Fightin' Engineers. 
    - The set saw 10 ties and four lead changes with AU falling 29-27.
    - Early in the second set, neither team led by more than one point. 
    - After an ROS timeout, the Spartans pulled away and would win the second set 25-21.
    - The Fightin' Engineers took set three 25-19.
    - In the fourth set, the Fightin' Engineers never saw a lead.
    - AU dominated winning 25-16 to force a deciding fifth set.
    - Sydnei Avery and Addy Guse led the team in set four with six kills each. 
    - The Spartans took the energy from the fourth set and jumped out to an early 6-4 lead. 
    - AU continued the rally and secured the fifth set, winning 15-12.


KILLS: Sydne Avery (37) and Addy Gruse (29)
ASSISTS: Kaitlyn Beebe (87) 
DIGS: Samantha Juarez (43) 
ACES: Kaitlyn Beebe (4)
BLOCKS: Izzie Jackson (9)


Next action for the Spartan women's volleyball team comes on Saturday, September 17 when they host University of Wisconsin-Platteville and Millikin University for day two of the Jim Coleman Memorial Classic. Match time is set for 11:00 a.m. against Platteville and 5:00 p.m. against Millikin University in Thornton Gymnasium.