CRAWFORDSVILLE, Ind. — The Wabash College men's volleyball team opened the 2026 season Saturday afternoon at Chadwick Court with a split of its opening-day matches, falling in straight sets to Illinois Wesleyan University before responding with a three-set victory over Maranatha Baptist University.

Wabash dropped its season opener to Illinois Wesleyan by scores of 25-20, 25-22, 25-20 in the first match of the day. Wabash regrouped in the second match of the day, earning a convincing 25-16, 25-21, 25-16 victory over Maranatha Baptist to secure its first win of the season .

The Little Giants stayed within striking distance throughout the contest, but Illinois Wesleyan's efficiency at the net and from the service line proved to be the difference. The Titans hit .367 as a team and recorded 40 kills, while limiting Wabash to a .260 attack percentage.

Bawibawi Thang led Wabash with 10 kills in the opener, while Patrick Volk added nine kills and Jaden Greenwell chipped in seven. Matthew Stitle directed the offense with 26 assists, and Piotr Wolan and Christopher Board anchored the back row as Wabash totaled 48 digs.

Illinois Wesleyan took control early in each set, building small leads that Wabash was unable to overcome. The Titans closed the third set on a late run after holding the Little Giants to a .048 hitting percentage in the frame.

The Little Giants delivered a balanced offensive performance in the sweep of Maranatha Baptist. Zev Wolverton led all players with 17 kills, while Gabriel Brandenburg added six kills, three service aces, and a pair of blocks. Shad Wilson and Liam Boehme each contributed 6.5 points, and Andrew Hostetler finished with seven points at the net.

Setter Graham Volk paced the offense with 24 assists as Wabash hit .179 for the match. The Little Giants also controlled play from the service line and defensively, producing 16 service aces and seven team blocks. Wolverton recorded five aces, Brandenburg added three, and Wabash totaled 47 digs, led by Wolverton's 16 and Wolan's 14.

Wabash set the tone early against Maranatha Baptist, pulling away in the opening set before holding off a brief rally in the second. The Little Giants closed the match decisively in the third set, scoring seven of the final 10 points to complete the sweep.

With the split, Wabash finished opening day with a 1-1 record as it begins the 2026 campaign. The Little Giants travel to Illinois for a pair of matches against Dominican University and Concordia University Chicago on February 7.