Eleanor Palmer and Alysa Lawton help the Titans secure a third consecutive regular-season championship.
Carthage Firebirds 0 · Illinois Wesleyan Titans 3
Game date: Oct 21, 2026 · America/Chicago
Published: Oct 22, 2026
College · Volleyball · NCAA Division III / CCIW
Illinois Wesleyan secured at least a share of the CCIW women's volleyball regular-season championship Wednesday by sweeping Carthage 25–7, 25–19, 25–19 at the Shirk Center. The result gives the Titans a third straight regular-season title and the top seed in the conference tournament, according to the university's match report.
The first set supplied an emphatic opening. Illinois Wesleyan held Carthage to seven points, then maintained control through two closer sets rather than allowing the match to extend. The Titans improved to 21–1 overall, while the Firebirds fell to 15–7.
Eleanor Palmer, a Chicago native and DePaul College Prep graduate, finished with 10 kills on 12 attempts and a .667 hitting percentage. Alex Bardouniotis contributed nine kills and 10 digs. Their production helped Illinois Wesleyan finish with 49 kills and a .336 team hitting percentage, compared with Carthage's 27 kills and .121 mark.
Alysa Lawton added 18 digs and six assists, continuing a week that already included national recognition for the Elmhurst native. Sophia Feeney supplied 23 assists and Lauren O'Brien added 17. The distribution gave the Titans several ways to convert defensive touches into attacking chances.
Illinois Wesleyan's opening-set margin did not mean the rest of the evening was automatic. Carthage made the second set more competitive, but the Titans created separation late and finished it 25–19. The third ended by the same score, completing the sweep without requiring a fourth set.
The championship remains a shared distinction for now. Illinois Wesleyan can claim the title outright when it visits North Central on Wednesday, October 28. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m. Chicago time in Naperville. The Titans have already secured a place at the top of the regular-season race; their final conference assignment determines whether they finish there alone.
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Illinois Wesleyan women's volleyball already occupied the top position in the national Division III rankings. On Tuesday, the Titans received another measure of recognition, this one focused on a player whose most valuable work occurs before an attack becomes a point.
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