SANDUSKY, Ohio – The Ohio Wesleyan University volleyball team opened up the 2025 season with a doubleheader against Salem and hosts Heidelberg at the Great Lakes Crossover on Friday. The Battling Bishops would take both games on the day, defeating Salem 3-2 and shutting out Heidelberg 3-0.
With the wins, OWU moves to 2-0 to start the season.
GAME ONE: OHIO WESLEYAN 3-2 SALEM
Ohio Wesleyan faced a tight contest in their first match of the day, going to five sets with Salem. OWU would fall behind 1-2 after the first three sets ended 23-25, 25-19, and 16-25. The Bishops ultimately rallied to take the fourth and fifth sets 25-22 and 15-13 for the win.
Ohio Wesleyan was led by Abby Nulph who had quite the collegiate debut, notching a team-high 11 of the team's 49 total kills. Natalie Dieball and Jordanne Shannon came next with 11 and seven respectively.
All-in-all, the Battling Bishops served 17 aces led by Jenna Ashbrook and Maggie Wall each with four. Lily Bechina, Reagan Brake, Sarah Thomas, and Avery Krause would all finish with two.
Bechina was the leading setter with 28 of the team's 44 assists. She was followed by Ashbrook with 11, and Bella Guzzetta with three.
On the defensive end, OWU would end up with 10 blocks. Shannon and Nulph led the way with five apiece, followed by Brake with three.
The Bishops recorded 67 digs with Guzzetta getting the most at 25. Bechina and Dieball would both end with nine.
GAME TWO: OHIO WESLEYAN 3-0 HEIDELBERG
Ohio Wesleyan finished the day strong with a sweep of hosts Heidelberg in game two. Both of the first two sets were fairly close, with OWU winning 25-20 and 25-21. The Bishops would then go on to power past the Student Princes with a 11-point victory in set three, 25-14.
OWU would collect 38 kills in game two, led by Natalie Dieball with 12. Megan Lantis and Abby Nulph would follow with seven and six respectively.
The Battling Bishops tallied five aces led by Lily Bechina and Megan Lantis with two each, and Jenna Ashbrook picking up the other.
The Red and Black made four blocks in game two, with Lantis and Reagan Brake accounting for two each. Nulph would also account for one.
Bechina led the assists once again with 14 of the team's 32. Ashbrook would come next with 10, followed by Guzzetta at six.
Ohio Wesleyan would total 42 digs in game two, led by Guzzetta with 11, Bechina with nine, and Lantis with seven.
UP NEXT
The Bishops finish off their weekend slate tomorrow, facing Brockport State at 8:00 a.m.
