MIDDLETOWN, Conn. – The two-time All-American Sophia Lindus '26 was at the peak of her powers this afternoon, recording season-highs in both kills (17) and digs (15), to lead the No. 17 ranked Wesleyan volleyball team to a 3-0 sweep (25-17, 25-20, 25-21) of the defending NESCAC Champion Middlebury on Saturday afternoon from Silloway Gymnasium.
 
With the win, Wesleyan (16-1, 8-0 NESCAC) ups their win streak to eight straight matches including six consecutive wins in three-set sweeps. Out of the Cardinals' 16 total wins this season, 13 have come by sweeps, as Wesleyan continues to roll heading into the late stages of the regular season.
 
After missing the entire 2025 season due to injury, Lindus, the two-time NESCAC Player of the Year, has struggled with consistency at times this year but she had everything working today in a 17-kill, 15-dig double-double that powered her team to a convincing win. Lindus hit .400 in the match, making just three attack errors on 35 swings, while her 15 digs are a season-high and led the Cardinals on the day. Incredibly, 16 of Lindus' 17 kills came in the second and third sets combined.
 
The opening set saw Middlebury win the first four points before the Cardinals found some footing, eventually taking a 11-9 lead following a 6-2 run. Wesleyan later won three unanswered points, which turned into a 9-1 scoring swing that gave the Cardinals more than enough breathing room for a 25-17 first set win. Siena Steines '28 went 5-for-6 on her swings, hitting .833 in the opening set to lead the Cardinals.
 
Wesleyan started the second set scoring seven of the first eight points and followed with a 4-0 run to lead 11-4 in the early going. The Cardinals continued to hold a sizeable lead at 18-10 before seeing the Panthers win seven of the next eight points to close the deficit to 19-17. Middlebury trailed 21-20 before Lindus took over, going off for three straight kills before a bad set sealed a 25-20 second set win for the Cardinals. Lindus had seven of Wesleyan's 17 kills in a set that saw the Cardinals hit .455 as a team.
 
The Cardinals built a three-point lead early in the third set before the two sides traded points until Middlebury ultimately took an 18-16 lead. Needing a run, Wesleyan found their offense with eight unanswered points, all coming from kills by the Cardinal offense. Lindus had three of the eight kills in that scoring run while Carly Grumet '28 had a pair. Middlebury staved off three set points before Grumet finished off a match-clinching 25-21 third set win with her fourth kills of the frame.
 
Wesleyan continues to play incredible offense, hitting .333 for the match with 53 kills, which is the Cardinals' highest total in any of their 13 three-set sweeps this season. Steines finished with seven kills while India Clark '28 had seven kills and no errors on 17 swings, hitting .412. Katelyn Olin '27 had six kills, as did Mila Chan '28 who added seven digs. Grumet was a spark off the bench in the second and third sets, finishing with five kills and three digs while hitting .400.
 
Ali Landa '26 and Alexa Schnell '29 each had 17 assists while Elliana Moreno '27 had nine digs and Adrienne Nguyen '28 tallied six.
 
The Cardinals wrap up non-conference play next weekend with home matches against Smith on Friday (7 PM) and Coast Guard on Saturday (2 PM).