Gary, Ind. -- The Indiana University Northwest women's volleyball team could not hold on after winning the first set as the Trinity Christian College Trolls defeated the RedHawks, 3-1, at the Savanah Center, Thursday.

The Trolls (16-7, 11-1 CCAC) defeated the RedHawks (11-6, 7-5 CCAC) by the scores of 23-25, 25-14, 25-17, 25-15.

TCC led 16-12 midway through the opening set. IUN had the response, scoring five straight points after a kill by Robyn Griffin (Downers Grove, Ill./Lisle Senior) and three kills by Emileishka De Jesus (Hobart, Ind./Portage) to take the 17-16 lead in the first set. 

Both teams traded points for the rest of the set. Bella Kuechenberg (Lowell, Ind./Bishop Noll) kept IUN in the match with her kills in between points. 

With the match tied 23-23, the RedHawks closed out the match with back-to-back kills from De Jesus and Griffin to win the first set 25-23.

TCC looked for the response in the second set and the Trolls did in a big way. The Trolls led 12-3 early in the second set. 

De Jesus tried to keep IUN in the set after her kill cut it to 12-5 but TCC was too strong and took the set 25-14.

With the match tied 1-1, the RedHawks went up 7-1 in the early stages of the third set after a kill by Erica Kik (Griffith, Ind.). TCC answered right back going on a 9-1 run to go ahead 10-8.

After a kill by Mary Markusic (Munster, Ind./Bishop Noll) made it 13-11, the Trolls scored five points in a row to go ahead 18-11. Kuechenberg ended the TCC rally with back-to-back kills. 

The Trolls had control the rest of the set winning the third one, 25-17.

IUN looked to tie the match right back up and force a fifth set. The RedHawks made their move going ahead 8-5 early in the fourth set.

Just like any other set, TCC had the response and went on a 4-0 rally to gain the 9-8 lead. With the set getting late, IUN tried one last push after three consecutive kills by De Jesus made it 23-15 but the Trolls scored the next two points to win the set 25-15.

De Jesus led the RedHawks on the attack for the night after recording 22 kills. On the defensive side of the ball, Caitlin Alwine (Goshen, Ind.) led IUN with 28 digs.

Kuechenberg also had 23 digs and Cara Nebel (Portage, Ind./Portage) had 15 digs with 19 assists. Maddie Maatman (Beecher, Ill./Illiana Christian) recorded 13 assists.

IUN returns to action Saturday, October 19 for a non-conference match hosting St Mary of the Woods starting at 2 p.m. CT.