WILBERFORCE, OH – The D'Youville University Saints Men's Volleyball (10-7, 1-5) travelled to Ohio for a tri-match hosted by Central State University. The Saints fell 3-0 to Lincoln Memorial University in the first match and defeated Central State 3-0 on their second match of the day.    

D'Youville University 0 vs Lincoln Memorial University 3 – 21-25, 17-25, 17-25
Set One
Gameplay started close, but the Saints took the 6-4 lead after an ace from Shaun Vattakuzhiyil (Sugar Land, TX / Elkins) and a kill from Jacob Malak (Wales, Wisc. / Kettle Moraine). LMU made a comeback going on a four-point run and taking the lead 12-9. The Saints got the lead back later in the set going up 19-18 after a kill from Vattakuzhiyil, but LMU scored five in a row to reach 23. After a final kill from Tymek Brzoza (Tychy, Poland), LMU would win the first set 25-21.

Set Two
The lead went back and forth again in game two as a kill from Jacob Malak tied the set at 12. LMU went on an 8-2 run to jump up 20-14. Ian De Wilde (Lockport, N.Y. / Starpoint) earned a kill for the Saints, but LMU would go on to win set two 25-17.

Set Three
Lincoln Memorial took the early lead in the third set jumping up 12-6. Tymek Brzoza and Haven Wankerl (Cross Plains, Wisc. / Middleton) both recorded kills to keep the Saints in the game, but LMU reached 20 with the Saints still at 14. Wankerl and De Wilde would each record one final kill before LMU would take the third set 25-17 and the match 3-0.

D'Youville University 3 vs Central State University 0 – 25-19, 25-22, 25-15
Set One
The Saints took the early 6-1 lead in the set following a service ace from Jacob Malak and a kill from Haven Wankerl. The Saints continued to roll on offense jumping up 15-8 after Wankerl recorded two more kill and Malak recorded another ace. Ethan Robinson (Toronto, Canada), Ian De Wilde, and Tymek Brzoza got in on the offensive action, recording kills to bring the Saints to a 20-13 lead. Central State worked a comeback scoring four in a row, but the Saints put a stop to the momentum and a kill from Wankerl plus a Central State error gave the Saints the 25-19 win.

Set Two
The second set started close with the Saints holding a close lead. A kill from Randy Adorno (Bayamon, Puerto Rico/ Winter Haven) and two Central State errors gave the Saints the 9-6 lead and as gameplay continued, a kill from Ian De Wilde put the Saints up 12-10. Central State fought to score four in a row to take the lead and held it until they were up 20-18. D'Youville put together five back-to-back kills to take the 23-20 lead and would go on to win set two 25-22.

Set Three
The Saints continued strong into the third set of the match and their sixth set of the day jumping up 4-2 following a block by Ethan Robinson. After a kill from Brzoza, the Saints extended their lead 8-4. As the set continued, the Saints found the momentum jumping up 16-7. D'Youville reached 20 first following another kill from Brzoza. Central State tried to come back again, but the Saints could not be stopped and would win set three 25-15 and the match 3-0.

Up Next
The D'Youville Men's Volleyball team is back to NEC play for the remainder of the season. The Saints stay on the road for a Friday night match against FDU at 7:00 PM and will play LIU the next day at 2:00 PM.