SWANNANOA, N.C. — The Warren Wilson men's volleyball team opened its 2025–26 season on Sunday evening, welcoming CarolinaU (Piedmont International) to DeVries Athletic Gymnasium in the first match under head coach Isaac LaFunor. The Owls showed flashes of strong play throughout the night but fell 3–1 in the season opener.

Warren Wilson came out sharp in the opening set, hitting .400 as a team and trading points deep into the frame. CarolinaU used a late push to pull ahead and claim the first set, 25–22. The Owls responded with their strongest stretch of the match in set two, hitting .391 and closing out a tight 25–23 win to even the contest.

The momentum shifted in the third set as CarolinaU established control at the net, holding Warren Wilson to .032 hitting and taking the set, 25–15. The fourth set remained competitive through the middle points, but CarolinaU closed efficiently to secure the match with a 25–20 victory.

Lleyton Starke led Warren Wilson with a match-high 16 kills, adding 15 digs and contributing at the net. Kaiyan Ivey directed the offense with 21 assists while also adding four kills, and Will Bush finished with six kills in the middle. Defensively, Jaime Millan anchored the back row with a team-high 23 digs.

Warren Wilson totaled 34 kills on the night and recorded four total team blocks, matching CarolinaU at the net. The match marked an important first step for the Owls as they begin a new season and a new chapter under Coach LaFunor.