UOlivet posts 1-1 record at Lakeland Triangular

PLYMOUTH, Wis. – The University of Olivet men's volleyball team split two non-conference matches today at the Lakeland University (Wis.) Triangular. In their first match, the Comets beat Maranatha Baptist University (Wis.) in four sets and in the second match, they lost to the host Muskies in three sets.

THE BASICS

• Final Score: Olivet defeated Maranatha Baptist 25-10, 25-22, 20-25, 25-22
• Location: Woltzen Gymnasium; Plymouth, Wisconsin
• Records: Olivet 1-1 overall, Maranatha Baptist 0-2 overall

HOW IT HAPPENED

• In the first set, the Comets used a 5-0 run to turn a 4-3 deficit into an 8-4 lead. The Sabercats scored the next point before Olivet reeled off seven straight points, including three service aces by sophomore Ian Lamm. The Comets ended the set with a 10-5 run to win it by a 25-10 score.
• MBU jumped out to a 2-point lead on several occasions in the second set. After a couple lead changes, the Sabercats held a 19-17 lead. Olivet responded with two kills and took advantage of two MBU attack errors to go up 21-19. The teams traded points until the Sabercats scored two points to even the score. The Comets used two kills and a bad set to claim a 25-22 victory in set two.
• The third set saw MBU take a 4-0 lead before Olivet came back to take a 6-5 lead. The Sabercats put the next four points on the scoreboard and never looked back en route to a 25-20 win.
• MBU carried the momentum into the fourth set and built a five-point cushion, 10-5. The Comets fought back to tie the score at 14-14. Following a 3-0 spurt for the Sabercats, an 8-0 spurt put Olivet ahead 22-17. MBU managed to trim its deficit down to two points, 24-22, but a kill closed the set and match in the Comets' favor.

FOR THE COMETS

• As a team, Olivet had 54 kills, which ties for the 10th-most in school history for a single match.
• Freshman Micah Stine recorded a match-high 15 kills.
• Sophomore Brodye Buning was next with 10 kills.
• Freshmen Jared Carter and Austin Chamblee dished out 20 and 18 set assists, respectively.
• Junior Andy Hok topped the defense with 15 digs.

THE BASICS

• Final Score: Lakeland defeated Olivet 25-12, 25-17, 29-27
• Location: Woltzen Gymnasium; Plymouth, Wisconsin
• Records: Olivet 1-2 overall, Lakeland 3-2 overall

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Muskies had wire-to-wire leads in both the first and second sets.
• Lakeland jumped out to an 11-4 advantage in the third set. The Comets chipped away at their deficit and eventually took a 23-21 lead. The Muskies leveled the score at 23-23 and fended off one set point to tie the score at 24-24. Lakeland got to set and match point twice at 26-25 and 27-26 but each time Olivet scored the next point to even the score. The Muskies then took advantage of two Comet attack errors to complete the three-set win.

FOR THE COMETS

• Sophomore Silas Martin and sophomore Payton Hastings each recorded seven kills.
• Carter registered 24 set assists.
• Carter and senior Matthew Tollar collected seven digs apiece.

UP NEXT

• The Comets are on the road next Thursday, January 22, to play Defiance (Ohio) College. The first serve is at 6 p.m.