McLean County Times

The Illinois Wesleyan University men's volleyball team is set to face Fontbonne University on Thursday, February 15, at the Shirk Center in Bloomington. The Titans, currently holding a 7-5 record, aim to end their three-game losing streak with this home game. The match is scheduled to start at 7 p.m.

In their recent outing against Concordia University Wisconsin on February 13, Illinois Wesleyan suffered a four-set defeat. Senior Michal Eastman led the team with 14 kills and a .237 attack percentage. Junior Luke Hartke contributed nine kills, while senior Javier Romano matched his career-best with seven kills and added three blocks.

As the season approaches its midpoint, Eastman remains a key player for the Titans with 127 kills at an average of 3.18 per set. Freshman Bryce Williams has also been impactful with 99 kills in his debut season. Junior Jake Kougan follows closely behind with 76 kills.

The team's offensive efforts have been orchestrated by junior Vince DiCosola and freshman Brenden Reutter. DiCosola leads in assists with 184, averaging 4.84 per set, while Reutter has provided 167 assists at an average of 4.77 per set.

Defensively, sophomore Jace Milka has transitioned into the libero role and leads the team with 114 digs. Eastman and Williams contribute significantly to defense as well, ranking second and third in digs respectively. Kougan tops the blocking stats for Illinois Wesleyan with 31 blocks.

This upcoming match marks the sixth encounter between Illinois Wesleyan and Fontbonne (3-6). The Griffins have won all previous meetings against the Titans since their first matchup on February 3, 2021. In their last meeting on February 7, 2023, Fontbonne emerged victorious in four sets.

Fans can watch Thursday's game via live stream featuring play-by-play commentary by Luke Kotcher and color commentary from IWU women's volleyball player Eleanor Palmer.