Deerfield, Ill. -- The Indiana University Northwest women's volleyball team lost their second straight on the road as the RedHawks dropped a Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference match to Trinity International, 3-1, Tuesday.

The Trojans (8-5, 4-1 CCAC) defeated the RedHawks (4-3, 3-2 CCAC) in four sets, 25-21, 25-16, 27-29, 25-14, at the Van Dixhorn Arena, Tuesday.

TIU built a strong lead in the opening set to start the match 10-1. IUN was able to make a run and cut it to 19-16 Trojans from a kill by senior Robyn Griffin (Downers Grove, Ill./Lisle Senior) but that was the closest the RedHawks got as Trinity won the set 25-21.

Another huge start to the set for TIU this time in the second set after starting out 9-1 but after a Mary Markusic (Munster, Ind./Bishop Noll) kill and an attack error by the Trojans it was down to 12-11 in favor of Trinity. However, TIU outscored IUN 13-5 the rest of the way to win the second set 25-16.

Both teams traded early rallies to open up the third set. It was tied 10-all before TIU went on a 10-7 run to make it 20-17 but IUN fought back and tied it 24-24 with a service ace by freshman Alyssa Melendez (Portage, Ind./Portage). 

Both teams traded the next three points to tie it 27-27. Sophomore Emileishka De Jesus (Hobart, Ind./Portage) secured the third set for the RedHawks after recording back-to-back kills.

The Trojans built another big lead in the fourth set going ahead 5-1 then IUN was able to tie it 9-9. Unfournately that was the closest the RedHawks got the rest of the way with TIU outscoring them 16-5 to win the fourth and final set, 25-14.

De Jesus led the RedHawks with 11 kills. Sophomore Bella Kuechenberg (Lowell, Ind./Bishop Noll) led the defense with 18 digs.

Senior Cara Nebel (Portage, Ind./Portage) and junior Maddie Maatman (Beecher, Ill./Illiana Christian) found the attackers most of the night. Nebel picked up 20 assists while Maatman had 10.

IUN returns to action this weekend at the Manchester University Tournmament where the RedHawks have four matches in two days but three of those matches count for their record. It starts Friday, September 20 as the RedHawks take on Anderson starting at 3 p.m. CT.