Women's Volleyball's NCAA Tournament Ends in Tough Battle at Hope

Box Score The Millikin women's volleyball team advanced to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Division III Women's Volleyball Tournament for only the second time in school history in 2024, meeting the top-seeded host Hope College in the regional final on Saturday, November 23. Millikin fell in the match in three sets to end their NCAA Tournament campaign.

Kailee Itzenhuiser opened up the first set with back-to-back service aces to give the Big Blue an early lead. After falling behind in the first set, they couldn't overcome the 11-17 deficit and fell 18-25.

Hope took a commanding lead in the second set, forcing the Big Blue to take a timeout with the score at 3-9. The Flying Dutch continued to control the set, trading points with MU to hold onto their six-point lead. A block by Elle Richards cut the deficit to five late in the set at 12-17. A few points later, a Gracie Shaffer ace chipped away at the deficit to move the set to 15-19. The Big Blue continued to battle, using a kill by Addison Oyer, a Flying Dutch attacking error, then a kill by Higgins on a long rally to cut it to 20-21 with Kyra Carothers serving. They'd tie it at 22 apiece on a kill by Sophia Gibbs. Hope regained their momentum and ran off the final three points to put the Big Blue down two in the 22-25 set.

Following the trend of the first two sets, Hope jumped out to a 6-15 lead early. But, kills by Gibbs, Delaney Higgins, and Itzenhuiser would chip away once again to bring the deficit to four at 12-16. A Carothers service ace to follow forced Hope to take a timeout to talk things over. Another Higgins kill and another Carothers ace cut the lead to one, but Hope's back-to-back points stretched it back to three at 15-18. The Big Blue tied things up, slowly chipping away to push the set to 22-22. Back-to-back Dutch kills to push set three to match point for Hope. A kill by Oyer kept the match alive for the Big Blue with the score at 23-24, but a Millikin service error sealed the sweep for Hope in a 23-25 set.

Oyer was the kills leader with 10. Higgins chipped in eight. Carothers and Itzenhuiser each notched two service aces. Shaffer recorded 15 set assists, and Frederking added 13. Itzenhuiser led the squad in digs with 17.

The Big Blue conclude their historic season with a 31-6 record with a valiant effort in the regional championship match.

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Players Mentioned

#3 Kyra Carothers: MB; 5' 11"; Sophomore

#9 Sophia Gibbs: MB; 6' 0"; Senior

#17 Delaney Higgins: OH; 6' 0"; Junior

#5 Kailee Itzenhuiser: OH; 5' 9"; Senior

#16 Addison Oyer: OH/RS; 6' 0"; Junior

#13 Elle Richards: OH; 5' 9"; Sophomore

#6 Gracie Shaffer: S; 5' 8"; Sophomore

Players Mentioned

#3 Kyra Carothers
: 5' 11"; Sophomore
: MB

#9 Sophia Gibbs
: 6' 0"; Senior
: MB

#17 Delaney Higgins
: 6' 0"; Junior
: OH

#5 Kailee Itzenhuiser
: 5' 9"; Senior
: OH

#16 Addison Oyer
: 6' 0"; Junior
: OH/RS

#13 Elle Richards
: 5' 9"; Sophomore
: OH

#6 Gracie Shaffer
: 5' 8"; Sophomore
: S