MIDDLETOWN, Conn. – Faced with true adversity, both prior to the match and during, the top-seeded Wesleyan volleyball team showed true resolve, coming together for a heroic effort in a four-set win (25-16, 25-22, 24-26, 25-22) over 10-seed Bowdoin in the NESCAC Semifinals on Friday night from Silloway Gymnasium. With the win, Wesleyan (21-1) advances to the NESCAC Championship match for the third straight season and will face six-seed Williams at 3 PM on Saturday at home.
 
The adversity shouldered by this Wesleyan squad came in the form of a couple of injuries, first to Sophia Lindus '26 in pregame warmups, as the All-American and reigning NESCAC Player and Rookie of the Year was forced to miss her first career match as a Cardinal. Then in the third set, the Cardinals saw their primary defensive specialist Elliana Moreno '27 exit with an injury, and suddenly it was all hands-on deck as Wesleyan attempted to power through despite the two key losses.
 
With Lindus watching from the bench, the Cardinals came roaring out of the gates, hitting .290 with four Cardinals posting at least three kills in the frame. On the other end, Wesleyan held Bowdoin to just six kills while the Polar Bears committed seven attack errors in the opening set, leading to a -.036 attack percentage. Playing inspired volleyball, the Cardinals opened a 13-8 advantage and soon followed with a 4-0 run to lead 17-10. Another streak of four unanswered points for the Cardinals put the first set out of reach, as Wesleyan posted a 25-16 win to start the proceedings.
 
The inspired play continued in the second set, with the Cardinals leading 9-4 in the early going before Bowdoin took a 10-9 lead following a 6-0 run. The Polar Bears later led 16-13, but a crucial 7-1 run saw Wesleyan take a 20-17 advantage, with Bella Ahearn '23 playing a crucial role with three kills in that scoring run. Bowdoin clawed the deficit down to just one point but a few errors proved costly, setting up a kill from Lila Sayre' 25 that clinched a 25-22 second set win for the Cardinals.
 
Wesleyan continued to control play, riding a 6-0 run to lead the third set 8-2. The Cardinals continued to lead midway through the set with a 16-14 advantage, but Bowdoin wasn't going away quietly as a 4-0 run swung the lead to the visitors. However, Wesleyan surged ahead, rattling off a 4-0 run of their own, which extended to a 6-1 advantage, leading 23-20 late in the set. Just as it looked to be all over, Moreno's injury reverberated the Cardinal lineup and Bowdoin took full advantage, ripping off a 6-1 run to clinch a 26-24 third set win and extend the match into a fourth set.
 
Dealing with a second major injury on the night, the Cardinals struggled to find an answer in the fourth set, mixing and matching the rotation with outside hitters playing back row as Wesleyan was battling against a gamely Bowdoin side that built an 18-12 lead in the fourth set. In the face of immense adversity, the Cardinals found some magic, winning three straight points which extended to a 7-1 run that tied the score at 19 apiece. Michelle Jorba '25 made waves, recording back-to-back kills followed by a block as the Cardinals had the Silloway faithful believing. It was 21-21 before Jorba again came through, smashing consecutive service aces, which incredibly are the first two of her career, bringing Wesleyan in front 24-21. After a Bowdoin point, Jorba finished the match in style, smashing her 12^th kill of the match to clinch an emotional and captivating four-set win, sending the Cardinals to the NESCAC title match.
 
The combined efforts of Ahearn (14 kills, five digs, four total blocks), Jorba (12 kills, four blocks, four digs, two aces), Kate Long '24 (seven kills, 0 errors, four digs, two blocks), and Sayre (five kills, 0 errors, four digs), all of which had to play back row at times in the match, was a defining key to victory, overcoming the loss of Lindus who came into today with the most kills in the NESCAC.
 
Setters Ali Landa '26 and Maya Lopansri '25 hit their stride, recording 23 and 22 assists, respectively. Libero Bianca Ortiz '24 was crucial in the win with 24 digs to go along with four service aces. Kathryn Morton '24 tallied nine kills, six digs, and three total blocks.
 
The Cardinals will go for their second NESCAC title in team history on Saturday against their Little Three rival Williams who took down fourth-seeded Tufts in straight sets (25-20, 25-22, 25-19). The two sides met in an instant classic in the regular season, as Wesleyan overcame a 23-20 fourth set deficit to defeat the Ephs in five sets in Williamstown on October 6.