BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - Greenville opened its 2025 season with three hard-fought matches at the Ill. Wesleyan Tournament. They dropped all three matches, but battled against Chicago, Ill. Wesleyan, and Earlham.
How it Happened:
Match 1 vs. Chicago
The Panthers were matched up with Chicago on Friday evening, ultimately falling 3-1 but showing plenty of fight. The Panthers pushed the Maroons to extra points in a thrilling third set, 28-26, behind strong play from
Abby Grohmann, who posted nine kills and ten digs.
Setter
Emma Ratermann fueled the offense with eighteen assists and five service aces, while
Mia deJesus added five kills and two aces.
Defensively,
Claudia Bonacorsi anchored the back row with twelve digs.
Match 2 vs. Ill. Wesleyan
Greenville battled Ill. Wesleyan on Saturday morning at the Shirk Center, falling 3-0 but showing flashes of promise in the second set.
Elaina Evers paced the Panthers' attack with eight kills, while Grohmann added five kills and a service ace.
Ratermann distributed fourteen assists and chipped in two kills and an ace, keeping Greenville's offense moving.
Bonacorsi led the defense again with sixteen digs, helping the Panthers withstand a balanced Titan attack.
Despite the setback, Greenville's energy and fight in set two highlight their grit.
Match 3 vs. Earlham
GU put together its strongest performance of the young season on Saturday afternoon, fighting Earlham in a competitive four-set match.
The Panthers claimed set two, 25-17, after a tight first-set loss (25-23). Grohmann shone in this game as well, collecting sixteen kills and seven digs.
Evers added eleven kills, while Lainey Hicks was efficient at the net, hitting .412 with eight kills. Despite falling 3-1, Greenville showed resilience and improvement, signaling positive momentum heading into the rest of the season.
Bonacorsi was named on the All-Tournament team for her outstanding efforts.
Up Next:
The Panthers (0-3) travel to Greencastle, Ind. next weekend to play in DePauw's tournament. They'll face Trine first on Friday at 4:00 p.m.