Volleyball lost in straight sets in their final home game of the regular season. (Bobby Kaplan | Contributing Photographer)

Dozens of athletes poured into the field house on Tuesday, Oct. 21, to cheer on the No. 13 WashU volleyball team, which played No. 6 Illinois Wesleyan University in the last home game of the season. Sponsored by The Hidden Opponent, a student-athlete mental health organization, the Bears played with green ribbons in their hair to show support for the cause. Despite a strong effort by WashU, the Bears ultimately fell to the Titans in three sets. 

Illinois Wesleyan opened the game strong with two consecutive kills. WashU, however, did not forfeit the set so easily– matching each of the Titans’ points. Midway through the set, the Bears trailed by four but rallied back behind a pair of key blocks and a service ace to even the score. The two teams battled for each point then on, coming to a 24-24 tie before the Titans went on a two-point run to clinch the set, 26-24. 

“It was a competitive match from the get-go, and we had so much fun playing and celebrating, especially with our large crowd,” senior and co-captain Anna Freeman wrote in a statement to Student Life. 

As a campus captain for THO, Freeman highlighted the close connection between performance and athlete mental well-being, especially when playing in tough matches like these. 

“Student-athlete mental health is so important, which is why I absolutely love working with THO, because our goals are to advocate, educate, and support student-athlete mental health,” Freeman wrote.

Between sets, the Bears huddled to regroup, keeping their energy high despite dropping the opener. Throughout the evening, members of The Hidden Opponent tabled outside the gym, sharing mental health resources and promoting awareness for student-athletes.

The second set kicked off with tight rallies, neither team was able to pull ahead beyond a two-point lead early on. After the Bears pulled within one point at 7-8, the Titans put up a strong 11-2 point run, the push they needed to extend the lead to 19-9. They maintained the momentum for the rest of the set, executing a series of 4 consecutive kills that closed the set out 25-13. 

In the third set, Illinois Wesleyan executed strong kills early on to secure a strong lead of 14-3. An early attack error by the Bears put WashU in a vulnerable spot, but kills from senior Eva Boling and junior Naya Ohuabunwa sparked a brief comeback attempt, bringing the score to 17-9. Illinois Wesleyan’s late run ultimately sealed the set, but WashU’s effort remained evident. 

Freeman hopes learning from the loss will motivate the Bears to maintain the positive and healthy attitude that has fueled them all season, rather than discouraging them. 

“We always learn from our losses in productive ways so that we can bounce back with a positive mindset,” Freeman wrote. 

Maintaining a strong mentality is crucial as the Bears prepare for two crucial remaining University Athletic Association (UAA) matchups. WashU will take on No. 12 Emory University, which holds second place at 4-1, a key opportunity for the Bears to climb from their third spot in the conference at 3-2 and hunt down the UAA title. 

With a heavy focus on resilience, the Bears are seeking to carry the lessons from today to drive the momentum for the rest of their season. The Bears will head to Naperville, Illinois, on Oct. 24 to play North Central College. They will stay in Illinois on Oct. 26 to play UAA rivals Brandeis University and Emory.