TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONSHIP GIVES ELMHURST AUTOMATIC NCAA BID AFTER BLUEJAYS AND CARTHAGE TIE FOR CCIW TITLE

NAPERVILLE, Illinois – A 3-0 (30-24; 30-28; 30-23) victory over Millikin in the championship match of the 2004 College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin tournament gave Elmhurst a piece of its fifth consecutive league title. The Bluejays and Carthage tied for the conference title as both teams tallied 10 points in the CCIW’s point system that gives one point for each regular season win and one for each tournament victory.

Julie Hall’s team was not in the greatest position starting the week as Carthage held a two point advantage heading into the tournament. The Lady Reds cruised through the conference regular season with a 7-0 record while Elmhurst was 5-2 and in second place.

In the very first night of the conference tournament things became a whole lot closer with the news that Millikin, the fifth seed, had knocked off number one Carthage 3-2 (31-29; 16-30; 13-30; 30-23; 15-11). Elmhurst proceeded through pool play undefeated and claimed the number one seed in Pool B while Carthage was the second seed in Pool A. Millikin claimed the number one seed in Pool A with a 2-1 record while Illinois Wesleyan was the second seed in Pool B. In the semi-finals on Saturday, November 6 in Naperville, Illinois the Bluejays scored a 3-1 (30-23; 26-30; 30-27; 30-27) win over the Lady Reds. That advanced Elmhurst into the championship match and put the Bluejays into position to control their own fate.

Control it they did with a convincing 3-0 (30-24; 30-28; 30-23) win over Millikin, which had defeated Illinois Wesleyan 3-2 (30-20; 30-22; 24-30; 26-30; 15-6) in the other semi-final. Carthage stayed in the hunt with a 3-0 (30-26; 30-22; 30-27) win over Illinois Wesleyan in the third place match. That left Elmhurst and Carthage tied for first place in the league standings with 10 points apiece but the Bluejays were awarded the automatic berth into the NCAA tournament by virtue of the higher tournament finish.

Hall was named the "Coach of the Year" and Molly May of Illinois Wesleyan was picked as the "Player of the Year". Kelly Bauer of Carthage reeled in "Newcomer of the Year" honors. May, Bauer, Stacey Stegeman of Millikin, Jori Simmons of Carthage, Ashley Smit of Wheaton, Lindsey Johnson and Nicole Carlson of Elmhurst were all selected first team all-conference.