Bloomington, Ill. – The No. 6 Washington University in St. Louis volleyball team split its two Friday matches at the Illinois Wesleyan Classic in Bloomington.
 
The Bears earned a 3-0 sweep over (RV) Aurora by a score of 25-22, 25-16, 25-22, but fell 3-1 to (RV) Illinois Wesleyan (16-25, 25-19, 16-25, 13-25) in the final match of the evening at the Shirk Center.
 
Highlighting the evening through was fifth-year senior Michaela Bach, who achieved 1,000 career kills after totaling seven against IWU. Bach entered the evening just 20 kills away from the career milestone and is now just one of 30 players in program history to join the 1,000 kills club.
 
WashU sits at 14-1 on the year and will next return to action on Wednesday at Illinois College in non-conference play.
 
vs (RV) Aurora
 
WashU made quick work of a talented Aurora squad in the Bears' first match of the day, as they recorded their sixth 3-0 sweep of the year on Friday afternoon.
 
Despite seven errors in the opening set, WU collected 16 kills and pushed ahead 8-5. After Aurora took its first lead of the set at 15-14, the Bears used a 6-3 run to get back in front at 20-18 and would not trail the rest of the set.
 
The Bears were nearly flawless in the second set, totaling 17 kills and only error for a hitting clip of .471.
 
WashU trailed momentarily at 5-3, but surged ahead on an 8-2 run to claim a 13-7 advantage. The Bears would push their lead out to nine at 23-14 following another kill up front from Bach.
 
Back-to-back kills from Abby Li and Bach would seal the set win for the Bears as they took a 2-0 lead.
 
The Bears had another great hitting effort in the third set and posted 14 kills with one error. It was another competitive battle in the third with eight different score ties.
 
After Washington U. used a short 4-1 run to push its 14-13 lead out to 18-14, the Bears were primed for a third set victory and sweep, but not before Aurora would tie up the set twice more.
 
Tied even at 22-22, the Bears would win the final three points of the set and a Jasmine Sells kills would clinch the victory for WU.  
 
The trio of Bach, Lane Bohrer, and Jasmine Sells collectively combined for 38 of the Bears' 47 kills as a team in the victory.
 
Sells led Washington U. with a match-high 15 kills along with two blocks, while Bach posted 13 kills and 10 digs, marking her ninth match this year with double figures in both categories.
 
Bohrer notched 10 kills and seven digs and Sam Buckley led the Bears with a team-high 41 assists.
 
 
vs (RV) Illinois Wesleyan
 
WashU was unable to keep its winning streak rolling against the Titans, as they were limited to only 39 kills as a team.
 
The Titans took the opening set 25-16 after Washington U. registered only eight kills and four errors.
 
Even with the slow start, WashU hung right with Illinois Wesleyan at 16-15, but the Titans would finish off the set with a 9-1 scoring run.
 
The Bears quickly regrouped and bounced back with a solid effort in the second frame.
 
With 12 kills and only two errors as a team, WashU maintained a 17-15 edge and would hold the lead the remainder of the set, as the Bears did not allow the lead to slip closer than four points down the stretch for a 25-19 set win.
 
However, IWU claimed the third set as WU struggled to keep its momentum rolling. The Titans pounced out to a 10-4 advantage and later extended their lead to 21-11. WashU reduced the lead to eight, but Illinois Wesleyan would win the third set on a service error at 25-16 to take a 2-1 lead.
 
The Bears had a tough fourth set and fell behind right from the start, as they trailed throughout the duration of the entire set.
 
After dropping the first nine points, the margin increased into double digits at 13-2 in favor of IWU.
 
WashU was unable to reduce the deficit any further than eight points before dropping the set and match at 25-13.
 
Abby Li posted a season-high 10 kills in the loss, while Bohrer added nine and Bach chipped in with seven.
 
Taryn Gurbach led Washington U. defensively with 21 digs and Elise Gilroy finished the match with 11 and a team-best four service aces.
 
Buckley once again produced a team-high 31 assists and also added eight digs.