BOURBONNAIS, Ill. - The Midway men's volleyball team began the 2026 season with a pair of losses at the Olivet Nazarene Invitational on Thursday.

The Eagles were swept 25-13, 25-14, 25-13 to Dordt (Iowa), then won a set before ultimately falling 25-16, 25-15, 23-25, 25-10 to Judson (Ill.).

DORDT 3, MIDWAY 0 

The Eagle attack struggled to get going in the season opener, recording a negative-.150 hitting percentage for the match as the Defenders jumped out to a 6-1 lead in the first set and an 8-1 advantage in the third.

Midway was at its best early in the second set, going on a 4-0 run and jumping out to a 5-2 lead on an attack error. 

Things stayed competitive for a bit, with the Eagles getting within 12-10 on a Jaden Alston kill, only for Dordt to respond by scoring eight of the next nine points to pull away for an eventual sweep.

Tyler Goldfine had five kills, Lincoln Anderson had seven digs and Jordan Daily recorded five assists to lead Midway.

JUDSON 3, MIDWAY 1

Down two sets, the Eagles battled hard in a back-and-forth third set that featured 15 ties but were staring at a 23-22 deficit after a Judson kill.

But Midway would respond with three-consecutive points. Daily got a kill to tie the score then following a Judson attack error, JT Kimball delivered the winning point off an assist from Anderson.

Daily and Anderson both had strong statistical games, with Daily netting 21 assists and Anderson getting 14 digs.

The third-set momentum wouldn't carry over into the fourth, unfortunately, as Judson jumped out to a 16-3 lead and a 6-1 Midway run that followed proved too little, too late.

Kimball led the Eagles with nine kills while Alston was just behind with eight for Midway, who has two more matches at the ONU Invitational tomorrow.

The Eagles face Mount Vernon Nazarene (Ohio) at 9 a.m. before closing out against host Olivet Nazarene at 3 p.m.