Bourbonnais, Ill. -- The Indiana University Northwest women's volleyball team (15-10) season came to a end on Tuesday as the RedHawks lost to host Olivet Nazarene (18-11), 3-1, in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Tournament Quarterfinals Tuesday. The scores were 25-19, 25-19, 23-25, 25-16.

IUN led 3-1 early in the first set then ONU scored five in a row to go up 6-3. Emileishka De Jesus (Hobart. Ind./Portage) ended the Olivet rally with a kill. 

The Tigers then led 12-9 in the first set and rallied and put up four in a row before Bella Kuechenberg (Lowell, Ind./Bishop Noll) recorded a kill to end that spurt. ONU ended up winning the first set 25-19.

IUN started out up 3-0 after back-to-back kills by Robyn Griffin (Downers Grove, Ill./Lisle Senior) and Kuechenberg off the assists from Maddie Maatman (Beecher, Ill./Illiana Christian). ONU recorded the next point then Mary Markusic (Munster, Ind./Bishop Noll) recorded a kill to make it 4-1.

The Tigers fought back and went on a 7-2 run to go up 8-6. The RedHawks responded and scored three in a row to go up 9-8.

Both teams went back-and-forth for the next few points before ONU rallied and made it 16-12. IUN got right back in the match after back-to-back service aces by Markusic made it a one point game before the Tigers went on a 6-1 advantage to win the second set 25-19 and went up 2-0 in the match.

IUN needed the next set to keep their season alive. The RedHawks answered with four straight kills to start the third set to go up 4-0 after Kuechenberg had three in a row then Markusic added one.

The Tigers responded with the next point then Griffin got it right back with a kill to make it 5-1. ONU fought back and made it 10-9 in favor of IUN but that was the closest the Tigers got the rest of the set. 

The turning point of the set was went IUN was up 17-14 then called timeout then rallied for six points in a row to go up 23-14. De Jesus had three consecutive service aces then back-to-back kills by Erica Kik (Griffith, Ind.) and Kuchenberg. 

ONU made it interesting and scored six unanswered of their own to make it 23-20. IUN was able to close out and win the third set 25-23. 

With the score 2-1, IUN looked to tie it and force a winner take all fifth set like the last time these two teams met earlier this season. The set favored ONU in the early stages going ahead 7-3 then Griffin and De Jesus picked up huge kills but unfournately that was the closest the RedHawks got the rest of the set and the match. 

IUN would not give in however making it a four point set again after back-to-back kills by Kik and Alyssa Melendez (Portage, Ind./Portage) which made the score 13-9 in favor of the Tigers.

The Tigers started to pull away in the fourth set and did so successfully. Griffin tried to rally IUN back in the match with a huge service ace off her serve but ONU ended up winning the fourth set, 25-16, to take the match 3-1.

De Jesus led the RedHawks with yet another double-double after picking up 12 kills and recording 21 digs. Kuechenberg led the offense with 13 kills and 9 digs.

Melendez led the RedHawks on defense as the freshman had 18 digs. Maatman helped the attack all night as the junior had 36 assists and 11 digs.

Griffin had an impressive outing in her last match at IUN, recording five kills and 15 digs. Kik rounded out the RedHawks offense with five kills. 

Rachel Newport led the way for Olivet Nazarene with a double-double 16 kills and 22 digs and Kassidy Heeringa had 16 kills. The Tigers now go to IU South Bend for the CCAC Semifinals starting at 6 p.m. CT. 

IUN Volleyball finishes their first season in the CCAC with an 10-8 in conference and 15-11 overall. The RedHawks also finished in sixth place in their inaugural year in the CCAC.