KENOSHA, Wis. --- The Aurora University men's volleyball team made its first trip to the NCAA Division III Tournament and took on the region host Carthage College at Tarble Arena. The Spartans were valiant in their effort but had their record setting season come to an end with a 3-0 loss.

AU concludes the 2025 season with a 26-5 overall record and went 11-1 in the NACC while capturing the regular season and tournament championships.

THE BASICS
MATCH SCORE: #6 Carthage College 3, #10 Aurora University 0 (19-25, 18-25, 22-25)
LOCATION: Kenosha, Wisconsin
RECORDS: #10 Aurora University 26-5 overall, 11-1 NACC

HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Spartans and Carthage went back and forth with each other in the opening set before the media timeout with the score 15-14 Carthage.
- After the timeout, a pair of aces from the hosts lengthened the AU deficit and the Spartans fell 25-19.
- Lucas Meier led the way with five first set kills.
- The second set again saw the two teams go back and forth with points with a kill from Josh McLellan tying the score 15-15.
- AU would drop the second set by a 25-18 score and trail the match 2-0.
- Sebastian Ciszewski and McLellan accounted for all eight AU kills in the set with four each.
- An SJ Nelson ace early in the third set gave AU a 4-3 lead.
- Despite falling behind, the Spartans fought til the final point, rallying back from a six point deficit to within one on back to back kills from McLellan.
- AU would drop the third set 25-22 and the match 3-0.

SPARTAN LEADERS
Kills: Josh McLellan (20)
Assists: Logan Brouwer (30)
Blocks: Ammar Brzovic and Josh Mclellan (2)
Digs: Alex Nonhof and SJ Nelson (8) 
Aces: SJ Nelson (3)