OKWU ROUNDUP: VOLLEYBALL SURGES TO 6-1 RECORD; SOCCER TEAMS HAVE MIXED RESULTS

Oklahoma Wesleyan University’s Maia Rubio serves during a last season game. The Lady Eagles were off to a 6-1 record prior to this weekend.

BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports

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By Mike Tupa

Sept. 2, 2025

BARTLESVILLE AREA SPORTS REPORT

Oklahoma Wesleyan University sports teams have bolted out of the opening gate with some strong performances.

Following is the weekly roundup for action for August 25-30.

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MEN’S SOCCER

Head coach: Jamie Peterson

OKWU 3, JOHN BROWN (Ark.) 3: In their season opener on Tuesday (August 25), the OKWU Eagles just couldn’t pull away from the visiting Golden Eagles 

OKWU powered to a 1-0 lead in the opening three-and-a-half-minutes on a goal by Julian Tovar, off an assist by Tylor Guerrero and Biel Campo. After John Brown knotted the score, 1-1, the Eagles swooped into the lead again on Tovar’s second goal, 2-1. That’s where the score stood at halftime.

But the Golden Eagles scored the first two goals of the second half to grab the lead, 3-2. OKWU avoided the loss when Victor Merinho found the back of the net off a feed from Guerrero.

The tie held up because there is no extra period in non-conference matches.

Marko Rodic played the distance in goal for OKWU. He made one save.

OKWU 3, BAKER (Kan.) 2: The Eagles took it almost to the wire on Saturday before Dusan Vlalukin blasted the game winning goal with only 6:30 remaining in regulation. Nemanja Vukovic assisted on the score in the Eagles’ first season victory.

The Eagles painted the game’s first goal on the board on a net-bender by Julian Tovar, with Biel Campo recording the assist.

After John Brown tied it up at 1-1, OKWU went back into the lead on Vlalukin’s first goal — off a joint assist by Campo and Luka Djurovic — with about 38 minutes left in the match, 2-1.

John Brown tied it up again, 2-2. 

But Vlalukin’s late goal lifted OKWU (1-0-1) to victory.

OKWU ripped 10 shots on goal, three by Tovar.

Rodic played the distance in goal for OKWU and made two saves.

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WOMEN’S SOCCER

Head coach: Ivan Ristic

OKWU 4, CENTRAL METHODIST (Mo.) 1: Playing in neutral territory (at the Jenks High School stadium), the Lady Eagles turned it on in the second half to mangle Central Methodist.

Four different Lady Eagles scored a goal apiece. They were, in order: Kayla Herrera, Isabelle Simoneau, Ana Chavez and Frederiekke Nielsen.

Kayla Herrera spooned out two assists; Wendy Jimenez added one.

Chavez and Simoneau both launched two shots on goal.

Alessandra Martinez played the distance at goal for OKWU and made three assists.

MISSOURI VALLEY 1, OKLAHOMA WESLEYAN 0: The Lady Eagles (1-1) suffered a rare regular season loss after getting off just four shots on goal on Saturday — one each by Laura Gieseler, Jenna Vick, Chavez and Simoneau.

Leona Kraus played in goal for OKWU and made four saves.

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WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL

Head coach: Tracie Gillette

OKWU 3, CARROLL COLLEGE (Mont.) 1, (25-22, 20-25, 25-20, 25-21): After nearly a week off from action, the Lady Eagles swooped into tournament play on Friday in Salem, Ore., and dispatched of their first-round Montana opponent.

They spread the kills around to mount a diversified attack — Evelyn Rohrberg, 18; Maia Rubio, 12; Maria Andrea Santa Cruz Cossich, 9; and Tijana Stojiljkovic, 8.

Senior setter Sydney Collins continued her string of four-straight double-doubles — 44 assists and 12 digs.

Maria Luisa Caycedo produced a team-high 22 digs; Jordan Isbell added eight and Rubio came up with seven.

OKWU 3, BUSHNELL UNIVERSITY 0 (25-19, 25-12, 25-20): OKWU stormed to a 5-0 start by dropping Bushnell by a total of 24 points.

Rohrberg and Rubio amassed 16 and 14 kills, respectively. Collins fueled the hitting attack with 41 assists and also led in digs with 14.

Caycedo and Rubio collected 12 and 11 digs apiece, followed by Isbell with nine.

OKWU 3, OUR LADY OF THE LAKE 0 (25-20, 25-12, 25-20): Make that six wins in a row for OKWU. Rohrberg hammered 18 kills — with an impressive .438 attack percentage — to help spearhead the momentum.

Rubio turned in an outstanding all-around performance — 10 kills, 2 service aces, 10 digs and one assist.

Collins harvested 29 assists and made 10 digs. Caycedo tallied 18 digs.

CORBIN (Ore.) 3, OKWU 0 (21-25, 20-25, 20-25): Defending its home court, Corbin powered past OKWU (6-1) to break its six-game winning streak.

Corban limited Rohrberg to less than double-digit kills for the first time this season.

She checked in with nine put-aways, followed by Stojiljkovic with seven, Rubio with six and Anuhea Aukai with five. Stojiljkovic also recorded five blocks.

Collins recorded 30 assists but failed to reach double-digit digs for the first time.

Caycedo and Rubio racked up 19 and 10 kills, respectively