The College of DuPage’s Women’s Volleyball team came up short last Thursday in their matches against Aurora University’s junior varsity team. Four matches were played for a duration of about 90 minutes. The games outcomes were as follows: 17-25, 25-17, 25-23, and 25-22. Aurora University won, with an end score of 1-3 sets respectively.

The high energy output of the lady Chaps fueled an anxiety ridden crowd for most of the contest.. The women played incredibly; their strong foundation was clear. The synergy showed in their manipulation of the airborne rubber was mesmerizing. They were mechanical in their movements, their egos completely removed from the process of ascertaining points. They gave every last bit of themselves to the game.

Aurora managed to meet them face on. With every bump, set, and spike, there was a response, which resulted in a very intense set of games. The third set, in particular, was especially disconcerting. The Chaps were up 23-17, it seemed as if their victory was imminent. Complacency seemed to take hold, and as Aurora accumulated an additional three points.  You could feel the mojo returning to Aurora. Aurora went on to score another four points in a row, to clinch the set and give them the confidence needed to win the game.

That is not to say that the Chaps aren’t an extremely talented group of girls because they are. Just last week the team managed to beat Madison, Wis. in the first set, which according to head coach Tolis Koskinaris was the first time this has happened in the last eight years of his career. “Madison was No. 1 They are second to Harper (College) now, but they were. We have played the top 3 teams in the nation in D3. We’ve played the top two teams in D2, Kansas City and Parkland. I don’t think I could find a harder schedule for us to play in the first quarter of the year than what I did. And they’re all still here.”

Koskinaris also had some words for any ladies out there looking for athletic fulfillment in their life: “College of DuPage is the No. 1 transfer school for volleyball in the nation. And I work to get all of these girls wherever they want to go. Just last year I had two girls get 10 to 20 offers each. It’s an amazing opportunity for anyone capable of seizing it.”