SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - After sweeping through the GLVC/GLIAC Crossover, the University of Illinois Springfield volleyball team returned home to continue its hot streak as it downed Kentucky Wesleyan, 3-0 (-18, -20, -22) on Sunday afternoon at TRAC.

With the wins this weekend and today, UIS improves to 8-11 on the year, which sets a Division II record for total wins in a season. The Panthers dropped to 9-10 after also dropping their second match against McKendree.

Senior Shelby Geers (Urbana, Ill.) once again stepped up in a big way with 10 kills on 20 attempts with just three errors while also recording three digs and three block assists in the win. Geers has now had double figure kill totals in seven straight matches, including a season-best 17 against Bellarmine. Sophomore Ashley Beaton (Wildwood, Mo.) just missed joining Geers in double figures as she recorded nine kills on 21 swings, while also digging up six balls. Junior Nikki Madoch (Algonquin, Ill.) threw back two solo stops and five block assists while also recording seven kills in the win.

Kentucky Wesleyan opened the match with control as they led 11-9 before UIS went on an 11-3 run aided by three blocks and three kills during the stretch. With the score 20-14 in the Prairie Stars favor, the Panthers called a timeout, but it was too late as UIS closed out the set 5-4 to keep its winning streak intact.

It was the Panthers game in the early goings of the second set as well, but the Prairie Stars quickly regained their composure and jumped out to a 14-9 lead. The Panthers pulled to within, 14-12, but it was as close as they would get. UIS kept its distance for the remainder of the set and finished with 13 kills to go up 2-0.

The third and final set was a back and forth affair that saw seven tie scores, the last one coming at 17-all. UIS then capitalized on back-to-back kills before Kentucky Wesleyan tacked on an error before calling a timeout. Neither team could find a rhythm though and a kill by Chelsea Brothers brought the Panthers back to within one, 22-21. Beaton then struck a kill on the next serve before another Panther miscue put the momentum back in the Prairie Stars' favor. Fittingly enough, it was Geers who tossed down the final kill to secure the straight-set sweep.

Freshman setter Lexi Hall (Champaign, Ill.) has been connecting well with Geers and recorded 17 helps on the Stars 38 total kills. Junior Rachelle Wiegand (Redbud, Ill.) recorded 12 assists on the day and seven digs. Sophomore Kayla Katarzynski (Winfield, Ill.) recorded 12 digs, her 19th double-digit total for the year.

For the Panthers, Dallas Zimmerman had nine kills while Brothers and Nikki Jenkins tallied eight. For the match, Kentucky Wesleyan hit .168 with 39 kills on 107 attempts with 21 errors.

The Prairie Stars now head out on the road to pick up conference play at Drury on Saturday, Oct. 25 at 5 p.m.