Scots Start Homecoming Weekend with Volleyball Win

Celus, Scott in Double Digit Kills for Monmouth

by Nathan Baliva

MONMOUTH, Ill. (10/18/2025) — The Monmouth College volleyball team kicked off Homecoming weekend on campus with a 3-1 comeback win over Lake Forest on Friday night. The Fighting Scots (7-11, 1-1) also celebrated Senior Night with a 22-25, 25-17, 25-20, 25-11 win.

The visitors jumped out to an early lead in the first set before the Scots rallied with kills from Chloe Strachan (Reynolds, Illinois) and Kaylee Celus (Annawan, Illinois). Zoe Nizzia (Pekin, Illinois) served an ace but the Foresters led 12-8. Shea Scott (Keosauqua, Iowa) delivered a kill and Celus had three in a row before serving an ace. Celsius delivered two more kills for a 20-16 lead but the Foresters tied the set at 21 and scored again to take the lead. With two straight aces, Lake Forest won the set 25-22.

Celus gave the Scots the lead with a kill in the second set and she added two more before Brynn Hogan (Galena, Missouri) served an ace for a 7-4 lead. Strachan and Melina Teunis (Grand Haven, Michigan) shared a block and Hogan had another ace in a run for a 12-5 lead. Alana Robertson (Mapleton, Illinois)served an ace and Strachan's kill made it 17-9. The Foresters closed the gap to four but two kills by Teunis and a LFC error made it set point. Strachan delivered a kill to win the set 25-17.

Senior Leah Allan (Oconto, Wisconsin) started on serve in the third set and Celus got a kill on the first point and another one for 3-1 lead. Hogan had a kill and the Scots won three straight points with senior Bailey Hill (East Alton, Illinois) serving. The Foresters tied the set at 8-8 and took a lead before Hogan served up two aces and Strachan's kill made it 15-11. The teams traded points until Hogan and Strachan had kills for a 24-19 lead. Two errors by the visitors finished off the set at 25-20.

The fourth set was all Scots at the beginning with two aces by Hogan, two kills by Teunis and another one from Scott for a 10-1 lead. Scott had two more kills and Strachan shared a block with CeCe Palladino (Volo, Illinois) for a 13-3 lead. Strachan and Scott added three more kills for a 16-4 lead. Celus made it 18-8 with a kill and Scott added another kill as well. Celus served an ace and Scott finished off the win with two straight kills for a 25-11 win.

Celus led the way with 17 kills while Scott had 10 and Strachan added eight. Robertson had 18 assists while Hill had 16. Hogan led the team with six aces and Strachan posted four blocks. Nizzia led the way with 15 digs while Celus (13), HIll (11) and Hogan (10) were also in double digits.

MONMOUTH MOMENTS: Scott had a career-high 10 kills ... Strachan had a season-best eight kills ... Hogan had a career-high six aces ... Monmouth had 10 aces, one more than on Wednesday ... Celus has eight matches this season with at least 15 kills and 13 with at least 10 ... She has consecutive matches with at least 15 kills ... The Scots have won two straight matches 3-1 after dropping the first set ... The Scots hit .393 in the fourth set ... Monmouth leads the all-time series 22-17 ... The Scots won on the road 3-1 last year ... Six seniors: Allan, Hill, Hogan, Palladino, Robertson and Scott, were honored pregame ... The Scots are home at Noon Saturday against Lawrence for Homecoming.