Illinois Wesleyan University vs. Wartburg College — Final

Illinois Wesleyan swept Wartburg 25-14, 25-13, 25-22 on September 1, 2026, at the Shirk Center in Bloomington, Illinois, opening the season with a convincing home victory in front of 225 fans.

The Titans held a commanding edge at the net, posting a .268 hitting percentage against Wartburg's .080 — a gap that defined the match from the opening set. Illinois Wesleyan recorded 38 kills to Wartburg's 26, and the disparity was sharpest in Set 2, where the Titans hit .414 compared to the Knights' .077. Wartburg's defense kept it competitive in digs (40-42), but the Knights' 19 attack errors proved too costly to overcome.

Alex Bardouniotis led all players with 16 kills on a .424 clip and added four digs, accounting for 17 points on the night. Graci Junis contributed nine kills and 12 digs for a standout all-around line, while libero Alysa Lawton anchored the back row with a match-high 17 digs and three aces. For Wartburg, Ashlynn Hodges paced the Knights with seven kills and seven digs, and Anna Sash served up three aces.

Wartburg made things interesting in the third set, rallying from 18-22 down to tie the score at 18-18 before Illinois Wesleyan closed out on a late 7-4 run to secure the final set.

The win moves Illinois Wesleyan to 1-0 on the season, while Wartburg opens 0-1.

Box score: https://www.iwusports.com/sports/womens-volleyball/stats/2026/wartburg/boxscore/20170
Photos by Papa Claes Visuals.