The Women’s Volleyball team opened their season last week at the Pikes Peak Challenge in Colorado Springs, CO, facing some of the most difficult competition in the nation. The Big Blue more than rose to the occasion.

Heading into the game, the team was unranked by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA), but they were receiving votes in the preseason poll. They were also only predicted to take third in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW). The team faced three ranked opponents and another team receiving votes during their trip to Colorado.

The season began with a 3-1 win over the hosts, Colorado College. The team was led by senior Kailee Itzenhuiser, with 13 kills and 13 digs. Last year, Itzenhuiser received first team all-conference honors, as well as all region honorable mention. The team then turned around and played Transylvania University, ranked #11 in the nation at the time of the preseason polls. The team pulled off a five-set win, Izhenuiser leading the way again offensively, putting up 18 kills. 

The next day of the tournament, the team played #5 University of Wisconsin Osh-Kosh and #16 Gustavus Adolphus. Their only loss of the season so far was handed to them by Osh-Kosh, in a four-set match. The team then turned around and defeated Gustavus Adolphus 3-1. The Big Blue came into that weekend as one of the lowest ranked teams in the tournament and left with only one loss. Itzenhuiser was named to the All-Tournament team, as well as sophomore middle blocker Kyra Carothers.

When the second AVCA poll came out on September 3, Millikin found themselves at #17. CCIW opponent North Park University was also in the polls, ranked #15. 

The next weekend, the Big Blue traveled to the University of Chicago to face off against three more teams. Their first match gave them their first sweep of the season, defeating William Smith College in 3 sets, holding them to a mere 0.008 hitting percentage. The next day, they played UChicago and Mount St. Joseph University, both teams receiving votes in the latest AVCA poll. The team won both matches in four sets.

Women’s Volleyball now sits at a 6-1 record, and hopes to continue to improve this upcoming weekend, where they will travel to Wisconsin and play 3 teams, including #7 UW-Whitewater. Conference play will begin the next week, with their home opener against Augustana College on Wednesday, September 18 at 7 pm in Griswold Gymnasium. They were ranked #16 by the AVCA in the September 10 poll.