JOLIET, Ill. -- The University of St. Francis women's volleyball team honored its senior class in celebratory style on Saturday afternoon with a four-set win over Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference foe Calumet College of St. Joseph (Ind.) at the Sullivan Center.  The 25-10, 25-16, 22-25, 25-15 victory marks win number 17 on the season for USF, carrying the Fighting Saints to a 17-12 overall mark and a 13-3 league record.  St. Francis honored its six seniors – Bailey Baird, Riley Hungate, Talia Messana, Willow Mueller, Cadence Wodrich and Celeste Zavala - before the matchup against the Crimson Wave.

Hungate took care of business at the net, registering 13 kills and producing a .313 attack percentage.  With the kills total, the senior has now eclipsed the 1,000 career milestone mark with a current tally of 1,008 amassed between her time at St. Francis and William Penn University (Iowa).  Wodrich chipped in with four kills and committed just one attacking error leading to an impressive .429 attack mark.

Wodrich also led the charge defensively as the senior authored four solo blocks on the day.  Ann Simon and Mya Broadway topped the team in digs with 11 apiece.  Talia Messana accounted for 16 of the USF's 34 assists.

St. Francis jumped on top 12-3 in the first set and closed the game with a 5-0 run en route to the easy 25-10 victory.

The second stanza stayed within one point at 5-4 until a three-point swing caused CCSJ to take its first timeout of the match.  The Crimson Wave were able to regroup, but a six-point run quickly thereafter put the set out of reach with the Saints capturing the 25-16 victory.

Calumet St. Joseph (2-22, 1-15) took its first lead of the match in set No. 3 with a 6-5 advantage, but St. Francis quickly answered with a four-point burst.  The Crimson Wave were able to work their way back and tie the score at 14-14, before utilizing four kills and a service ace to aid in capturing a 22-18 lead.  USF would then take off on a 3-0 burst to come within one point at 22-21, but it was too little too late as the guests finished the set scoring three of the remaining four points to claim the 25-22 win.

The final frame saw the Saints catapult out to a 19-6 advantage before CCSJ began to find its footing.  The Crimson Wave would score seven of the next 11 rallies, forcing St. Francis to call a timeout.  The breather would benefit the Saints as they finished the set profiting off two CCSJ errors to seal the 25-15 victory.

Up Next
The Saints return to action on Thursday, November 4 when they travel to La Crosse, Wis. to take on Viterbo University in a CCAC matchup with the V-Hawks.  The match will begin at 5 pm.

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