BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - Carroll battled hard in a four-set road loss to #6 Illinois Wesleyan, falling 3–1 (25–20, 22–25, 11–25, 22–25) at the Shirk Center.

The Pioneers opened strong, taking the first set behind a balanced attack and timely serving, but IWU's efficiency (.252 hitting percentage) proved decisive in the final three frames. Bronwyn Rowse led Carroll with 17 kills on 39 swings (.231), while Avery Halstead added 16 kills (.312) and seven digs. Audrey Rosenbaum chipped in eight kills and a team-high 33 attempts, and libero Maggie McGough anchored the back row with 16 receptions and double-digit digs. Carroll finished with 56 kills and six team blocks, highlighted by Rowse's presence at the net and contributions from Brooklynn Johnson and Carly Hicklin.

The Pioneers showed resilience, pushing the Titans in the second and fourth sets and maintaining a .139 hitting percentage against one of the league's top defensive teams. The growth of this Carroll team has been impressive to see, especially as they have taken multiple top teams to the brink.

The loss moves Carroll to 15–13 overall and 3–4 in CCIW play, as they look to close the regular season strong and secure a spot in the conference tournament. They host a triangular this weekend as they have a shot against another top team in #11 UW-Whitewater, who the Pioneers has fallen to in a close match earlier in the season. They will also take on Ripon, which is the first match of the day at noon in Van Male Gymnasium.