3/21/25 Fulton, MO – The Westminster men's volleyball team put up a strong fight but ultimately fell short in a tightly contested five-set match against Wabash on Friday night, losing 3-2 (20-25, 17-25, 25-14, 25-19, 10-15). The Blue Jays now stand at 16-13 on the season as they prepare for their final matches next weekend.
Westminster got off to a slow start, struggling to find offensive consistency in the opening two sets. Despite flashes of strong defensive play, Westminster dropped the first set 25-20 before falling 25-17 in the second. However, the Blue Jays refused to go down without a fight, flipping the momentum in the third set. A revitalized offense, coupled with improved passing and defensive coverage, propelled Westminster to a dominant 25-14 victory. Their energy carried over into the fourth, where they executed well on both sides of the ball, capitalizing on key scoring runs and limiting errors to even the match with a 25-19 win.
Dalio Taouil was a standout performer for Westminster, leading the team with 16 kills while hitting .387 and adding three digs and three blocks. Derrick Turner also made a significant impact with 13 kills, six digs, and four block assists. Luke Rohrbach and Connor Layman contributed efficiently on the attack, combining for 12 kills without recording an error. Jake Schawo-McAlister orchestrated the offense with 47 assists while also tallying four block assists. Defensively, Ryan Rhodes anchored the back row with 11 digs.
With the match on the line, Westminster looked to complete the comeback, but Wabash jumped out to an early lead in the deciding fifth set. Despite the Blue Jays' best efforts to rally, they couldn't quite overcome the deficit, falling 15-10 as Wabash sealed the victory. Westminster displayed resilience and determination throughout the match, highlighted by a strong offensive showing and solid defensive efforts. The Blue Jays will return to their home court one last time this season on April 4, hosting a tri-match against Simpson and Greenville to conclude their 2025 campaign.
