Pantagraph staff

BLOOMINGTON - Illinois Wesleyan's volleyball team fell to a pair of top 25 nationally ranked opponents Saturday in the Titan Invitational at Shirk Center.

The Titans battled No. 24 Mount St. Joseph to five games before falling, 23-30, 30-22, 22-30, 30-23, 16-14.

Juniata, the top-ranked team in NCAA Division III, then defeated IWU, 27-30, 30-26, 30-19, 30-10.

Katie Butson had 19 kills for the Titans (14-9) against Mount St. Joseph. Melissa Serritella added 15 and Lisa Cercello 11. Jenna Passananti led IWU with 57 assists and Jaclyn Verticchio had 29 digs.

Butson also led the Titans in kills against Juniata with 11, while Serritella added nine. IWU received 36 assists from Passananti and 19 digs from Verticchio.

"One of these days we'll win one of those five-game matches," IWU coach Kim Nelson-Brown said. "We learned a lot this weekend. We have to be a little more consistent and a little more disciplined and I think we'll have success against ranked teams eventually.

"I told my players going into this tournament that we've been playing well. This weekend doesn't define us as a team. It shows us what are weaknesses are so we can peak at the right time. I think we're still on the right track."