Chicago, Ill. — Illinois Tech men's volleyball opened their 2026 season with a tough five-set loss to 18th-ranked North Central (IL) on Thursday evening at Keating Sports Center, with final scores of 25-23, 25-18, 16-25, 23-25, 12-15. Illinois Tech recorded 56 kills in the match, while North Central (IL) notched 64 kills to secure the win. Illinois Tech holds an overall record of 0-1 after their recent match. The Cardinals have an overall record of 1-0 following their victory.

How It Happened

The first set opened with North Central (IL) taking an early lead, capitalizing on an attack error and a service ace by PJ Vaughn to go up 2-0. Illinois Tech responded with a kill from Maximo Dowling, assisted by Elijah Johnson, leveling the score at 3-3. The set remained tightly contested, with neither team able to maintain a substantial lead. At 22-21, the Scarlet Hawks pulled ahead with consecutive kills by Dowling and Paul Henderson. Despite North Central's late efforts to close the gap, Dowling secured the set for Illinois Tech with a decisive kill, ending the set at 25-23.

Illinois Tech gained a decisive advantage in the second set with a series of strategic plays, ultimately securing a 25-18 win over the Cardinals. Jelani Kimoto and Dowling contributed significantly to the scoreline with their early kills, aiding Illinois Tech in building a 6-2 lead. Henderson also played a pivotal role, delivering multiple kills throughout the set, including the final point off an assist from Johnson. North Central's Elijah Landeros and Brannen Almarales attempted to close the gap with several successful kills, but Illinois Tech maintained their lead, capitalizing on North Central's service errors to clinch the set.

The Cardinals began the third set with a commanding lead, securing the first four points, including a kill by Almarales and a block error by Scarlet Hawks. Despite an early response from Illinois Tech with a kill by Tyson Haufschild, North Central extended their lead to 9-4 with contributions from Connor Davis and Vaughn. Illinois Tech struggled with service errors, allowing North Central to maintain a steady advantage. Landeros played a pivotal role for North Central, contributing multiple kills, including the final point at 25-16, sealing the set.

North Central secured a narrow 25-23 victory over the Scarlet Hawks in the fourth set, clinching the match. Dowling contributed significantly with multiple kills, including a crucial one at 24-22. However, service errors by Illinois Tech, including the final one by Aaron Hanny, gave North Central key points. Landeros of North Central played a pivotal role, securing several kills, notably at 20-20 and 21-20, to maintain their lead. Almarales delivered the decisive kill to end the set and the match.

In the decisive fifth set between Illinois Tech and the Cardinals, both teams exchanged early points, maintaining a tense back-and-forth. An attack error by Landeros gave Illinois Tech the initial lead, 1-0. Hanny and Dowling each contributed kills to keep the score close, but North Central's Davis and Chris Mactal responded with timely kills as well. A service ace by Illinois Tech briefly shifted momentum, but North Central capitalized on several errors and regained control, leading 9-7. Despite Hanny's efforts to narrow the gap with a late kill, North Central secured the set and match at 15-12 with a final kill from Jeffrey McEachern.

Scarlet Hawk Standouts

Elijah Johnson  
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- 49 assists  
- 12 digs  
- 4 kills  

Paul Henderson  
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- 12 kills (4 errors, 33 attempts, .242 hitting percentage)  
- 10 digs  
- 14 points  

Maximo Dowling  
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- 16 kills (5 errors, 46 attempts, .239 hitting percentage)  
- 11 digs  
- 19 points  

Colten Farrell  
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- 7 kills (2 errors, 16 attempts, .313 hitting percentage)  
- 4 total blocks (1 solo)  
- 9.5 points  

Tyson Haufschild  
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- 11 kills (4 errors, 29 attempts, .241 hitting percentage)  
- 9 digs  
- 13 points  

North Central (IL) Top Performers

Elijah Landeros
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- 24 kills
- .328 hitting percentage
- 10 digs
- 25.0 points

Brannen Almarales
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- 14 kills
- 21 digs
- 15.5 points

PJ Vaughn
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- 52 assists
- 15 digs
- 5.5 points  

Game Notes:
- Illinois Tech dropped to 0-10 lifetime against North Central College.

Up Next
The next challenge for Illinois Tech will be a trip to Elgin, Illinois, to face Judson University on Tuesday, January 20th, at 7 p.m.