FORT WAYNE, Ind. – The Midway women's volleyball team opened its 2026 season on Friday, dropping a pair of matches against Huntington and Saint Francis (Ind.) on the opening day of the Onset Invitational at the Turnstone Center.
GAME ONE: Huntington 3, Midway 0
Huntington came out firing in the opening set, jumping out to a 15-6 advantage. The Eagles struggled to find their rhythm offensively, putting together consecutive points just three times in the frame as the Foresters claimed the opening set, 25-14.
Midway responded with a much stronger start in the second set. Back-to-back kills from Morgan Broderick and Blair Riney gave the Eagles the first two points before Huntington battled back to take its first lead following a pair of Midway attack errors.
After the Foresters evened the score at six, the Eagles answered with a 6-2 run to build a 12-8 advantage. Midway maintained its lead deep into the set and held a 19-17 edge before Huntington flipped the momentum. The Foresters closed the set by scoring eight unanswered points to win 25-19 and take a commanding 2-0 lead in the match.
The third set followed a similar script to the opener, as Huntington jumped out to an early advantage that Midway was unable to overcome. Lexi McGee opened the set with a kill before three consecutive Midway errors pushed the Foresters' lead to 4-0.
Huntington continued to build on its advantage before closing out the set, 25-17, to earn the 3-0 sweep.
Alyssa Medeiros and Allie McClanahan paced the Eagles with four kills apiece. Mayme Powell dished out 15 assists, while Riney led the defensive effort with 14 digs. Midway finished with 24 kills as a team and a -.018 hitting percentage.
McGee led the Foresters with 12 kills while hitting .667. Liz Blackburn recorded 15 digs, while Kennedy Urban handed out 23 assists. Huntington finished the match with 40 kills and a .259 hitting percentage.
GAME TWO: Saint Francis (Ind.) 3, Midway 0
The opening set of the nightcap featured a much more back-and-forth battle. Midway stayed within striking distance throughout the frame, but an early five-point run proved to be the difference as Saint Francis pulled away for a 25-19 victory.
That theme continued into the second set, with the two sides trading runs early. The Cougars eventually created separation and built a 22-12 advantage, but the Eagles refused to go quietly.
Midway responded by scoring seven of the next eight points, cutting the deficit to four and putting pressure on Saint Francis late in the set. A net violation halted the Eagles' momentum, however, and the Cougars held on for another 25-19 victory to take a 2-0 lead.
Saint Francis took control in the third set and used an 11-1 run to close out the frame and complete the 3-0 sweep.
McClanahan led Midway's offensive attack with a team-high six kills. Powell added 12 assists, while Marlee Laycock paced the Eagles defensively with nine digs.
Nevaeh Plaster and Teigen Fortkamp recorded 12 kills apiece for Saint Francis, while Brittny Bruns finished with 20 assists. The Cougars hit .192 for the match and finished the opening day of the invitational unbeaten after defeating Ohio Christian earlier in the day.
With the two losses, Midway moves to 0-2 on the season. Huntington improves to 1-5, while Saint Francis moves to 3-3.
UP NEXT
The Eagles remain in Fort Wayne on Saturday for the final day of the Onset Invitational. Midway opens the day against Lawrence Tech at 10:45 a.m. before closing out the weekend against Rochester Christian at 5 p.m.
Both matches will be available on BallerTV. Links to the livestream, live stats and game notes can be found on the Midway women's volleyball schedule page.
About Midway University Athletics
Midway University competes in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and its 29 athletics teams are part of the River States Conference, Mid-South Conference, the Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association, and USA Archery. For more information about Midway University Athletics, please visit www.gomidwayeagles.com or contact Tyler Beck at 859-846-5366.
