UOlivet opens season at Illinois Wesleyan Tri

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – The University of Olivet men's volleyball team kicked-off the 2025 season today at the Illinois Wesleyan University Tri, held inside the Shirk Center. The Comets fell to both the host Titans and Lakeland (Wis.) University in three sets.

THE BASICS

• Final Score: Illinois Wesleyan defeated Olivet 25-11, 25-14, 25-18
• Location: Shirk Center; Bloomington, Illinois
• Records: Olivet 0-1 overall, Illinois Wesleyan 2-0 overall

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Titans scored the first nine points of the first set and never looked back en route to a 25-11 win.
• In the second set, the Comets took a 5-3 lead. Illinois Wesleyan answered with an 8-3 run to go up 11-8. Olivet came back with a 4-1 spurt to trail by one point. Olivet did not get any closer the rest of the set, as the Titans won it, 25-14.
• The Comets led 2-1 and 3-2 in the third set. The Titans scored four of the next five points for a 6-4 lead and held the lead for the remainder of the set.

FOR THE COMETS

• Sophomore Amarion Lawson recorded a team-leading six kills, followed by freshman Silas Martin with four.
• Senior Will Mensching dished out 15 set assists.
• Martin, Mensching and sophomore Andy Hok each had six digs.

THE BASICS

• Final Score: Lakeland defeated Olivet 25-14, 25-12, 26-24
• Location: Shirk Center; Bloomington, Illinois
• Records: Olivet 0-2 overall, Lakeland 1-1 overall

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Muskies used three kills and three Comet attack errors to start the match with a 6-0 lead. Olivet chipped away at its deficit and only trailed by two points on two occasions. After the second time at 14-12, Lakeland ended the set on a 11-2 run.
• The Comets led 2-0 to begin the second set. The Muskies scored five of the next seven points to take a 5-4 lead. Lakeland did not relinquish its advantage for the rest of the set.
• The third set was much closer than the previous two. The Muskies led by three points, 15-12. The Comets battled back to take a 20-19 lead. Olivet extended its lead to two points, 24-22, before Lakeland scored the final four points to win the set and match.

FOR THE COMETS

• Martin shared match-high honors with 10 kills.
• Sophomore Ke'Shon Johnson was next with seven kills.
• Hok and Mensching split time at setter, registering 10 assists apiece.
• Mensching recorded a team-best six digs.

UP NEXT

• Olivet hosts Concordia University Chicago (Ill.) for its home-opener next Friday, January 24. First serve from inside the Cutler Event Center is at 5:30 p.m.