MIDDLETOWN, Conn. – The Wesleyan volleyball team produced an efficient and resounding victory in its opening match of the NCAA Division III Tournament, sweeping Eastern Nazarene on Thursday night from Silloway Gymnasium. The Cardinals (24-3) advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament where a matchup against Little Three rival Williams awaits.
 
Playing in the NCAA Tournament for the fifth straight season (sixth overall), Wesleyan had the home court advantage as SIlloway Gymnasium served as the host site for the national postseason tournament for the first time in program history. Using that edge, the Cardinals put forth a convincing showing in a 25-17, 25-14, 25-18 sweep of the Lions.


 
The Cardinals hit .476 for the match, which is a new NCAA Tournament record for Wesleyan while also representing the program's highest single-match hitting percentage in well over 20 years. Mariko Tanaka '24 was back in full force for the Cardinals, returning to the lineup from injury the junior recorded 11 kills while hitting .500. Kathryn Morton '24 totaled eight kills on 11 attempts (.727 attack percentage) while Sophia Lindus '26 recorded eight kills and hit .533 and Bianca Gonya '25 went for five kills on seven attempts (.714). Morton, Lindus, and Gonya totaled 23 kills with 0 errors in 33 attempts for the evening.
 
Ali Landa '26 led the Cardinals with 14 assists followed by Maya Lopansri '26 with 10 as the Cardinals shuffled nearly their entire lineup into play over the course of the night. Wesleyan dug 37 balls with Jenna Otaola '22 leading with nine followed by Lindus with seven and Grace Bell '23 and Landi with six.
 
In the first set, Wesleyan and Eastern Nazarene traded points up through the midway point where the score was tied at 13-13. Wesleyan then went on a 6-0 run off Landa's serve and the Lions could not recover as the first set went to the Cardinals, 25-17.
 
The second set featured another service run from Landa and later by Morton as the Cardinals led by 10 at 17-7. Kills from Gonya and Kate Long '24 pushed the Cardinals forward and a Tanaka kill sealed the second set, 25-14.
 
In the final set, Lindus started off strong with six unanswered points off her serve, three of which were aces. Eastern Nazarene was able to close the gap a bit with a 7-3 run but the Cardinals were not to be denied on the night, with the match point sealed at 25-18.
 
Awaiting the Cardinals in the second round of the NCAA Tournament is a familiar foe as the Williams Ephs line up against Wesleyan in Silloway at 7:00 PM on Friday.