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RIVER FOREST, IL - The Illinois Wesleyan men’s volleyball team collected its third win of the 2023 campaign following a 3-1 defeat of Adrian College on Friday, January 27, 2023. (Photo by Kodiak Creative/Jimmy Naprstek)
Kodiak Creative
3
Winner Illinois Wesleyan IWUMVB 1-0
0
Olivet, Mich. OLIVET 2-3
Winner
Illinois Wesleyan IWUMVB
1-0
3
Final
0
Olivet, Mich. OLIVET
2-3
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 F
Illinois Wesleyan IWUMVB 25 25 25 (3)
Olivet, Mich. OLIVET 23 16 23 (0)
3
Winner Illinois Wesleyan IWUMVB 2-0
2
Lakeland University LUMVB 1-3
Winner
Illinois Wesleyan IWUMVB
2-0
3
Final
2
Lakeland University LUMVB
1-3
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 4 5 F
Illinois Wesleyan IWUMVB 23 23 25 25 15 (3)
Lakeland University LUMVB 25 25 21 17 10 (2)

Game Recap: Men's Volleyball |

Men’s Volleyball Posts Historic Start to Season

Titans host Rockford Tuesday night, Jan. 23, in the Shirk Center

PLYMOUTH, Wis. - The Illinois Wesleyan University men's volleyball team began its 2024 season in history-making fashion Sunday, Jan. 21, as the Titans swept a pair of matches against The University of Olivet and Lakeland University at Woltzen Gymnasium. IWU swept Olivet in straight sets, before coming back to defeat Lakeland in five as the Green and White posted a 2-0 start to the season for the first time in program history.

Illinois Wesleyan 3, Olivet 0
In their first match of the day, the Titans rode hot hitting and strong defense to a straight-set win. IWU took down UO by set scores of 25-23, 25-16, and 25-23 behind a .256 to .135 advantage in attacking percentage. Illinois Wesleyan held leads in kills (33-32), aces (7-1), blocks (5-2), and assists (33-30), while Olivet notched a 30-29 edge in digs.

Senior Michael Eastman (Chicago, Ill.-St. Ignatius) paced the Titans with a team-high 13 kills on an incredible .600 attacking percentage. He also led IWU with eight digs. Junior Vince DiCosola (Aurora, Ill.-Oswego East) split setting duties alongside senior Bradley Benson (Lemont, Ill.-Lemont Township) and freshman Brenden Reutter (Frankfort, Ill.-Lincoln-Way East). DiCosola dished out 13 assists, while also leading the team with two aces. Benson tallied nine assists and three digs, while Reutter registered eight assists in his collegiate debut.

Defensively, seniors Julian Perez (Orland Park, Ill.-Carl Sandburg) and Javier Romano (Prospect Heights, Ill.-Wheeling) along with junior Jake Kougan (Frankfort, Ill.-Lincoln-Way East) were credited with two blocks apiece. Perez and Kougan's rejections came by way of two assisted blocks, while Romano tallied a solo block and assisted on another. 

Illinois Wesleyan 3, Lakeland 2
After dropping the first two sets by scores of 25-23, the Green and White battled all the way back to upend the Muskies. Illinois Wesleyan took set three 25-21, before winning the fourth and fifth sets by scores of 25-17 and 15-10, respectively.

The Titans compiled slim edges in kills (49-47) and assists (46-45), while both teams finished with seven aces. IWU doubled up LU in blocks, 12-6, but Lakeland led in digs, 51-42. Illinois Wesleyan's attack remained efficient in the second match of the day, as the Titans hit .231 to the Muskies' .102 clip.

The five-set match saw a much more balanced attack, led by Eastman's 18 kills. He also paced IWU with three aces. Perez and junior Ryan Myers (Hawthorn Woods, Ill.-Stevenson) added eight kills apiece, with Myers doing so on a .667 attacking percentage. Kougan added seven kills.

IWU's net defense was dominant, with Kougan recording a career-high six blocks in the match. Romana added five blocks, while Perez tallied four. 

Reutter led Illinois Wesleyan with 21 assists and 10 digs, both of which were team-highs, as he picked up his first career double-double. DiCosola was credited with 15 assists, eight digs, and an ace.

The Titans will return to action Tuesday, Jan. 23, as IWU hosts Rockford University inside the Shirk Center. First serve of the Green and White's home opener is set for 7 p.m.

 
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