Scots Win First Set but Fall at DePauw
MONMOUTH, Ill. (09/12/2026) — The Monmouth College volleyball team won the first set but lost 3-1 at DePauw Friday night in the first game of the DePauw Invitational in Indiana. The Fighting Scots (1-4) lost 25-20, 13-25 12-25, 19-25 and will play two matches in the event on Saturday. .
The Tigers jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the first set. Chloe Strachan (Reynolds, Illinois) and Abby Viano (Braidwood, Illinois) shared a block and the Scots took a timeout down 8-2. With Isa Hughes (Chicago, Illinois) serving, Monmouth ran off seven straight points to lead 10-8. Kaylee Celus (Annawan, Illinois) had two kills in the run and Bri Woodard (Monmouth, Illinois) had one. Melina Teunis (Grand Haven, Michigan) and Celus shared a block and Teunis added two kills for a 14-11 lead. Brianna Carden (Pecatonica, Illinois) had a kill as did Celus as the teams traded the lead. Taking the serve at 18-all after a kill by Strachan, Hughes put the Scots up 22-18 as Teunis powered home another kill. Celus and Woodard added kills and Monmouth won the first set on a DePauw attack error.
DePauw again jumped out to a big lead to start the second set. Down 6-1, Teunis served an ace and the Scots won three points with Tyla Mattson (Morton, Illinois) serving. However, the Tigers went on an 11-1 run to lead 20-8 and they won the set 25-13.
Strachan started the third set with a kill and added another with the set tied 3-3. An 8-2 run put DePauw up 11-5 and after a block by Woodard and Viano, they pushed the lead to 21-8. Celus had two kills and Strachan added one but the Tigers won the set 25-12.
The final set was tied at 1-1 but never saw a lead change as DePauw won the next two points. They led 10-5 when Teunis got a kill and Monmouth called timeout down 14-7. An ace by Hughes and two kills from Woodard closed the gap to three before DePauw went up 20-15. The Scots pulled within two at 21-19 but the Tigers finished off the match with four straight points after calling a timeout.
Celus led the way with 11 kills while Woodard had seven. Both Strachan and Teunis had six kills and Mattson led the team with 12 assists. Teunis had two aces while Hughes had one. Mattson led with 17 digs and Abriana Bruns (Johnsburg, Illinois) had 13. Teunis and Viano both had three blocks.
MONMOUTH MOMENTS: Bruns, Sophia Kisler (Galesburg, Illinois) and Haley Smither (Albany, Illinois) made their collegiate debuts on Friday ... Celus had a season-high 11 kills and added 12 digs for a double-double ... Mattson had season-bests in assists (12) and digs (17) with a double-double of her own ... Viano and Teunis both have three blocks in four of the five matches this season ... DePauw leads the all-time series 2-0 ... The Scots face Anderson and Illinois Tech on Saturday ... The home opener is Tuesday, September 15 against Augustana.
Media Attachments
box score