The Case Western Reserve University volleyball team swept a pair of matches at Branch Rickey Arena in Delaware, Ohio, on Saturday, defeating Denison University in four sets and host Ohio Wesleyan University in three sets.

The Spartans improved to 10-11 in 2025, while the Big Red dropped to 8-10 and the Battling Bishops fell to 7-10.

Stats and Standouts

• Senior outside hitter Kalli Wall and senior middle blocker Amanda Ngo led the CWRU attack with 21 and 20 kills, respectively, on Saturday
• Ngo added 12 total blocks in the two matches, including seven against Denison
• Sophomore defensive specialist Sophia Datto collected 37 digs and sophomore setter Elena Esquivel had 25
• Esquivel paced the squad with 44 assists and sophomore setter Avery Basinger added 23 helpers
• Senior middle blocker Kiya Levy filled the stat sheet, totaling 13 digs, 11 kills, eight blocks, four service aces, and two assists

CWRU 3, Denison 1 (25-19, 20-25, 25-19, 25-18)

First Set

• The Spartans opened the set with a 6-2 run and led 10-4 on an ace by Levy
• After Denison cut the deficit to four, CWRU won the next four points with Ngo scoring on three of them with two kills and a block assist
• A 6-1 Big Red run made the score 16-13 in favor of the Spartans, but a pair of service errors helped CWRU maintain a five-point lead
• After the teams traded 11 consecutive points, back-to-back Denison errors gave Case Western Reserve the first set, 25-19

Second Set

• A 5-0 Spartan run gave the team an 8-6 advantage early in the stanza
• Denison reclaimed the lead and took a 16-13 edge with a pair of kills
• The Spartans came within one, 20-19, on a kill by Wall, but the Big Red completed the set with a 5-1 run to even the match score

Third Set

• Leading 8-7, a quick 5-1 Spartan run gave Case Western Reserve a 13-8 edge in the pivotal third stanza
• After Denison cut the deficit to three, 19-16, junior Emily Goodpaster ignited a 5-1 CWRU run with a kill
• Wall ended the set with her ninth kill of the match to give the Spartans a 2-1 match lead

Fourth Set

• Leading by just one, 14-13, the Spartans won eight of the next 11 rallies to gain a six-point edge in the fourth set
• Wall had three kills during the run and Levy added a service ace
• Denison cut its deficit to five, but a block by Ngo and Goodpaster secured the win for CWRU

CWRU 3, OWU 0 (25-19, 25-20, 25-15)

First Set

• The start of the match was close with neither team leading by more than four points early
• Holding a 14-13 advantage, the Spartans used a 5-1 run to take a five-point lead
• OWU cut its deficit to three, 20-17, but CWRU won five of the final seven points to win the first set 25-19

Second Set

• The Spartans started the second set with an 8-2 run and did not concede the lead for the entire stanza
• A block by Wall and Levy gave CWRU a 17-11 lead, and four points later, Esquivel aced a serve to give the team an eight-point advantage
• The hosts did not quit, winning six of seven points late in the set to cut their deficit to three, 23-20
• However, a kill by Goodpaster and OWU attacking error ended the set in favor of the visitors

Third Set

• The Spartans started the third set strong as well, opening the period with a 7-1 run
• Four consecutive Ohio Wesleyan points made the score 7-5, but Case Western Reserve won six of the following eight points to regain their six-point edge
• Ahead 19-13, the team used the service of Basinger to take the next four rallies and serve for match point
• After a pair of OWU points, Ngo completed the sweep with a kill, her team-leading ninth of the match

Spartan Notes

• The Spartans have won their last five matches against Denison and emerged victorious in eight of the previous nine meetings
• CWRU won its third consecutive match OWU, defeating the Battling Bishops on their home floor in each of the last two seasons
• Case Western Reserve hit .216 across the two matches, while holding their opponents to a .122 attacking percentage
• Datto's last dig of the day gave her 800 across two seasons

Up Next

The Spartans resume University Athletic Association play with the second round robin on Sunday, October 12. CWRU will host all eight schools for the round robin at the Veale Center as part of Homecoming Sunday. Case Western Reserve will face Rochester at 12 p.m. and 10th-ranked WashU at 2 p.m. inside Horsburgh Gymnasium.