GREENCASTLE, Ind. - Ava McCabe had a team-high nine kills, Claire McCarthy recorded a season-high 22 digs but it came in a 25-16, 25-22, 26-24 sweep to Aurora in the team's final game of the DePauw Tigers Invitational.

The loss leaves the Blues (0-6) still searching for that first win with Aurora closing the tournament at 6-5. McCarthy, on the heels of her stellar back row performance, landed a spot on the all-tournament team. Kawohi Duvachelle added a career-high 18 digs with Megan Suka leading the Blues with four blocks to go along with three kills.

Madison Leone had a match-high 11 kills to lead the Spartans.

The Spartans slowly expanded an early lead in their set one win. After a Taylor Knight kill, Aurora ran off five straight points to take a 12-6 lead. Whitman saw the lead expand after back-to-back kills from Leone made it a 17-8 score. Though the set did not entirely get away from the Blues, Aurora cruised to the win and the early lead in the match.

The Blues played the Spartans close for much of the second set, but a late surge gave Aurora a two-set lead. Whitman trailed by a point after an Elyse Benavides kill made it a 16-15 ball game. The Spartans then went on a quick three-point burst to move ahead and force a Whitman timeout. Trailing by as many as seven points late in the set, Whitman rallied on the strength of a block and a kill each from Suka and McCabe to shave the lead to two points. It was not to be, though, as a long rally on set point went to Aurora to give them the win

Aurora completed the sweep but needed a furious rally to do so. Whitman led much of the way in set three and looked prime to push the match to a fourth set after a Christina Boxberger kill gave her team a 20-12 lead. Sophia Dominitz's kill gave Whitman set point at 24-17 but the Spartans came storming back, unleashing nine unanswered points to eek out the win and take the match.

The Invitational closes non-conference play for the Blues who head into the Northwest Conference portion of their schedule. Whitman plays at Puget Sound (Sept. 20) and Pacific Lutheran (Sept. 21) to kick off the league season.