CALVIN-ILLINOIS WESLEYAN POSTMATCH PRESS CONFERENCE - 11-22-25

BLOOMINGTON, Il. – The Calvin women's volleyball team captured its 10^th NCAA III Regional title in the last 16 years with a stunning five-set upset victory over No. 2 Illinois Wesleyan University in front of a standing room only crowd at the Shirk Center.

Calvin defeated the host Titans 25-22, 15-25, 22-25, 25-20, 15-13.

At 28-3, Calvin will head to the national quarterfinals for the first time since 2021 but for the 10^th time in the last 15 NCAA III Tournaments with the 2020 tournament wiped out by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Calvin will return to Illinois Wesleyan for the national quarterfinals on December 3.

Calvin stunned the Titans (28-3) by amassing three solo blocks and 26 block assists which allowed the Knights to grab the early lead and then later regain it late down the stretch.

In set one, Calvin roared out to a 9-4 lead behind back-to-back kills from junior Mary Boa (Atlanta, Ga./Riverwood International Charter). Freshman Caralee Schipper (Mount Brydges, Ontario/Strathroy District Collegiate Institute) added back-to-back kills of her own to build an 18-11 lead. Trailing 19-14, Illinois Wesleyan ripped off six unanswered points to build a 20-19 lead. Calvin scored the next three points including back-to-back service aces by sophomore Lina Kasuboski (Racine, Wis./Union Grove) to lead 22-20. Kills from freshman Sarah Bradley (Clarkston, Mich./Everest Collegiate) and senior Emma Ekblaw (Chesterton, Ind./Chesterton) got Calvin near the set one finish line. An Illinois Wesleyan attack error sealed the set one win, moments later.

Illinois Wesleyan grabbed a 10-4 lead in set two and later stretched its lead to 19-10 in cruising to the 25-15 win while hitting at a .484 clip.

The Titans pulled out set three by building a 23-18 lead and then coming up with two crucial points after the Knights had closed to 23-21.

Calvin fell behind 6-3 in set four but scored five unanswered points with kills from seniors Aerin Baker (Saugatuck, Mich./Saugutuck HS) and Madison Wiersema (Fremont, Mich./Western Michigan Christian HS) coming in the run.  The Knights then led 16-12 and later 18-15 but Illinois Wesleyan roared back to take a 19-18 lead. Calvin's block then went to work. A combo block from Boa and Ekblaw gave Calvin a 20-19 lead. A block from Boa and Baker made it 21-19. Boa then combined with Wiersema to make it 23-19. Calvin closed out the set with a kill by Baker and an ace by Kasuboski.

It set the stage for set five. Illinois Wesleyan grabbed the momentum early, leading 9-6 but a block by Wiersema and Kasuboski made it 9-7 and a solo block by Wiersema made it 9-8. At 10-9, a lengthy rally went the way of the Titans as a sideline attack by Bradley just dropped wide, giving Illinois Wesleyan a 11-9 advantage.

An attack error by the Titans and a kill by Schipper off an Illinois Wesleyan block attempt tied the score at 11-11 and the tension in the Shirk Center began to mount. Taylor French came up with a clutch kill to give Illinois Wesleyan a 12-11 lead but a service error and a subsequent attack error by the Titans suddenly reversed the tables, putting the Knights on top 13-12. Hannah Tellor tied the match at 13-13 with a kill for the Titans but the lead went right back to Calvin as Baker went high over a block attempt and ripped a shot that just but inside the back line for a 14-13 Knight lead.

Off the serve from sophomore Grace Spoelma (Caledonia, Mich./Grand Rapids Christian HS), Calvin dug up a Titan attack, fed the ball to Baker who crammed a shot that deflected off the Illinois Wesleyan block and out of bounds for the match-clinching point.

Ekblaw and Baker finished with 12 kills apiece for the Knights. Ebklaw hit at a .370 clip which included a spectacular over-the-back, two-handed kill late in the match. She also racked up one solo block and seven block assists. Schipper and Bradley had eight kills each with Schipper hitting .364 along with four block assists. Boa was a force, contributing four kills, one solo block and six block assists. Bradley amassed 21 digs and three service aces. Kasuboski had four service aces. Junior libero Tryna Vander Zwaag (Hamilton, Mich./Holland Christian HS) recorded 27 digs, two assists and an ace. Wiersema had three kills, one solo block and four block assists to go with three digs. One of her digs came on an electrifying kick-save dig to keep a rally alive. Spoelma had 16 assists and 11 digs. Sophomore Delaney Kemp (Frisco, Tx./ Frisco Centennial) had 19 assists and 12 digs.

Illinois Wesleyan was led by French who blasted home 26 kills while Alex Bardouniotis had 19.

Eklaw was named the regional tournament MVP and landed a spot on the regional all-tournament team along with teammates Aerin Baker and Sarah Bradley.

COACHES COMMENT: "Illinois Wesleyan is so talented. We knew we had to put up a big block," said Calvin head women's volleyball coach Amber Warners. "I am so proud of these (Calvin) women. They have poured everything they have into this team. I am so happy for them to get the win. It felt like they were rewarded for every unselfish thing they did this weekend."

NEXT UP: Calvin will await its national quarterfinal opponent with the seeding for the final eight set to be unveiled later this weekend.