UChicago Rolls to 10-0 with Win over Augustana
The University of Chicago volleyball team defeated Augustana, 3-1, in its opening match at the UW-Platteville Tournament. With the win, the Maroons now move to 10-0 in their impressive start to the 2026 season.
UChicago dominantly opened the match on a 10-6 run powered by aces from Gabi Spellings. Kills from Thalia Marangon and Olivia Zamis quickly moved the Maroons to the 20-point range, holding a consistent four-point deficit over their opponents. As the Vikings battled to come within two at 21-19, a service error gave UChicago possession back to run away with the match. Off a connection with Ellie Maxwell, Spellings slammed one down to seal the first-set win, 25-19.
Set two opened up with back-to-back kills from UChicago as Julia Lewkowitz and Marangon were able to put two down quickly. The match remained tight as the teams traded runs, but the Maroons caught fire as it went to point 14. Three consecutive kills from Madeline Lambros, Adelee Kaiton, and Marangon earned UChicago its biggest lead of the set at 16-19. The Vikings fought back, coming as close as within five, but the Maroons' lead was too much as another kill from Lambros and Zamis tallied the last two for the second-set win.
UChicago fell short in the third set, losing 25-22 as Augustana responded with a much-needed run to stay in the game.
In another win to take all set, the Maroons took care of business. A Viking service error jump-started a four-point run for UChicago behind two kills from Lewkowitz. The Maroons finished the run with a 7-3 lead heading into the double digits of the set. As Augustana went on a run of their own to tie the match at 13, the Maroons suffered an error to give the Vikings their first lead of the set. The two teams again began matching each other point for point until the very end. After an Augustana service error gave the Maroons match point, Lewkowitz delivered the game-winning kill off a perfect pass from Maxwell.
Thalita Marangon recorded her sixth double-double of the year, leading all players with 14 kills and 15 digs. Kaiton came in second on the team with 10 kills, as Lewkowitz added eight of her own. Ellie Maxwell recorded a game-high 45 assists, helping the Maroons earn a .225 attack percentage on the match.