ST. LOUIS, Mo. – Facing the only other team that appeared in the national poll in the top 25 or receiving votes, the No. 14 Washington University in St. Louis volleyball team dropped a heartbreaker in five sets to (RV) St. Olaf to close out action on day two of the 2026 Bear Invite.
WashU claimed the first set before the Oles answered by claiming the second and third sets. The Bears forced a fifth set with another 26-24 set win in the fourth. St. Olaf closed out the match with its own extra-point set win in the fifth, 16-14.
The first set showed what kind of match it would be, as neither team could score more than four points in a row. After trading one- and two-point scoring opportunities, WashU was able to pull ahead by three on a kill by senior Leah Oyewole, 22-19. The Oles would retake the lead 23-22 and get the first set point at 24-23.
However, the Bears tied the match on a St. Olaf service error before back-to-back attack errors gave WashU the 26-24 set-one win.
The second set saw nearly an identical start, with WashU leading 14-11. A 7-1 run by the Oles put them ahead by three, 18-15. After the score was tied at 20-20 by Oyewole, St. Olaf used another run, this time a 5-1 stretch, to take the second set 25-21.
Another even start by both teams in the third set was quickly stopped by St. Olaf as it pulled ahead 12-8. The Bears tried to use small runs to pull even, but could not get any closer than two before the Oles scored the final two points to take the set, 25-20.
Once again even to begin a set, WashU was trailing 8-7 when the Oles went on a 4-0 run, taking a five-point advantage, 12-7. The Bears responded with a 4-0 run of their own, including a kill from Oyewole and a pair of kills by first-year Anya Mikhailenko, to nearly pull even at 12-11.
Both teams continued to score on runs, with WashU pulling ahead 19-18. The Bears earned their first set point at 24-22 before a pair of Oles points saw the visitors tie the score at 24-24. A service and attack error by St. Olaf would level the match at 2-2 after WashU claimed the fourth set 26-24.
The Bears started the deciding set on a 4-1 run before the Oles answered with a 6-1 run to jump ahead 7-5. Neither team scored more than two points in a row the rest of the set. Tied at 13-13, the Oles had a set point before a block by sophomore Nia Jones and senior Naya Ohuabunwa forced extra points. A St. Olaf kill and block closed out the match 16-14 in favor of the Oles.
Mikhailenko finished with the first double-double of her career, with 30 assists and 10 digs. Sophomore Abby Krause also notched a double-double with 12 kills and 11 digs. Oyewole led all players with 18 kills.
WashU will play a pair of matches on Sunday, Sept. 6, to close out hosting duties at the Bear Invite. The Bears will face Bowdoin at 10 a.m. before finishing with a contest against UC Santa Cruz at 1 p.m.
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