Chicago, Ill. — Illinois Tech Women's Volleyball faced two challenging opponents during the Illinois Tech Tri Match at the Keating Sports Center on Saturday. The Scarlet Hawks were defeated by Edgewood College (6-3, 1-0 NACC) in four sets, with scores of 25-17, 14-25, 25-19, 25-22, and then fell to North Central College (11-2, 1-0 CCIW) also in four sets, 25-19, 25-14, 25-27, 25-22. Despite the two loses, London Francis was able to record her 500th career kill in the first Tech point of the 3rd set against North Central College.

Match 1: Illinois Tech vs. Edgewood College
In the opening game against Edgewood, Illinois Tech initially took control with back-to-back service aces from Anna Elena Sofia Sebastio, leading 4-1. However, Edgewood quickly regained momentum with a series of kills from Natalie Murphy, ultimately taking the set 25-17. The Scarlet Hawks rebounded in Set 2, showcasing a strong performance that included multiple kills from Sydney Wilson and a decisive finish at 25-14 led by a final kill from London Francis.

In Set 3, Edgewood started strong again, but Illinois Tech managed to rally, tying the score at 9-9. Despite their efforts, Edgewood secured the set 25-19. The fourth set was closely contested, with both teams battling for points. Illinois Tech showcased key plays from Karla Trautmann Mendez, but errors allowed Edgewood to edge out a 25-22 victory.

Match 2: Illinois Tech vs. North Central College
The second match against North Central began with Illinois Tech showing promise, taking an early lead thanks to a kill from Karla Trautmann Mendez. However, North Central capitalized on Scarlet Hawk errors and service aces, winning the first set 25-19. The second set saw an early 8-1 run from North Central that Illinois Tech struggled to overcome, finishing the set at 25-14.

In a dramatic third set, Illinois Tech staged a comeback, overcoming a 9-4 deficit to win 27-25, with key contributions from Rowan Midgette and Ana Jones. The fourth set was tightly contested, with both teams exchanging leads, but North Central ultimately secured the win 25-22.



Illinois Tech Top Performers against Edgewood College  
**Karla Trautmann Mendez**  
- 17 kills  
- 10 digs  
- three block assists  
- 18.5 points total  

**Rowan Midgette**  
- 32 assists  
- four digs  
- one block assist  

**Anna Elena Sofia Sebastio**  
- four service aces  
- nine digs  
- two assists  

**Victoria Aspurez**  
- seven kills  
- four block assists  
- nine points total  

Illinois Tech Top Performers against North Central College  
**Karla Trautmann Mendez**  
- 13 kills with a .200 hitting percentage  
- 16.0 points total  
- nine digs  
- two service aces  

**Rowan Midgette**  
- seven kills with a .500 hitting percentage  
- 22 assists  
- 8.5 points total  

**Brooke Rifkin**  
- 20 digs  
- four assists  
- two service aces  

**Victoria Aspurez**  
- eight digs  
- four block assists  


Opponent Top Performers

Edgewood College  
**Mia Hinkamper**  
- 16 digs  
- 2 service aces  
- 3 assists  

**Katie Borchert**  
- 11 kills  
- 4 block assists  
- 9 digs  

**Kate Gunderson**  
- 13 assists  
- 2 service aces  

North Central College  
**Danni Moser**  
- 11 kills  
- 5 service aces  
- 16 digs  
- 16.5 points  

**Sarah Harvey**  
- 46 assists  
- 14 digs  

**Lauren Benson**  
- 11 kills  
- 0 errors, 0.647 attack percentage  
- 12.5 points  

**Aleesa Zebold**  
- 25 digs  
- 1 service ace  

Game Notes:
- Illinois Tech is now 1-7 lifetime against Edgewood.
- Illinois Tech is now 1-8 lifetime against North Central College.
- London Francis recorded her 500th career kill in the first point of the 3rd set against North Central.

Up Next 
Looking ahead, the Illinois Tech women's volleyball team is set to face Aurora University on Wednesday, September 24. The match will take place in Aurora, Illinois, with action beginning at 7 p.m.