J.T. Levitt (So.-Schaumburg, Ill.) set a new school single-match record for digs but the Lakeland University men's volleyball team couldn't hold a two-set lead and lost to Fontbonne (Mo.) University in five sets Saturday afternoon at the Moose & Dona Woltzen Gymnasium.

The Muskies won the first two sets but were defeated 18-25, 17-25, 26-24, 25-21, 15-13 in their season finale. Lakeland also was hosting Senior Day for eight seniors on the team and finished the year with a 12-13 overall record and 9-10 in the Midwest Collegiate Volleyball League.

Levitt tallied 32 digs, breaking the Lakeland varsity mark of 29 set by Cole Aiazzi two years ago against Carthage College on March 25, 2015. He easily surpassed his previous career high of 19 set earlier this season in a match against Loras (Iowa) College March 18.

The sophomore libero was one of a number of players to pile up big numbers in a match that went much longer than it appeared it would. Lakeland dominated the first two sets and held a 20-16 lead in the third set, just five points from victory in three sets when the match turned.

Fontbonne (15-11 overall, 9-10 MCVL) scored five straight points to take the lead, with Brendon Schwartze and T.J. Vorva both posting two kills each. The teams then traded points up to 24-24, but a kill by Stephen Lundy and a solo block by Schwartze ended the set and pushed the match to a fourth set.

The Muskies never could get comfortable again. The Griffins jumped to a quick 8-3 lead in the fourth, and Lakeland only led twice at 13-12 and 17-16 but was done in by a late run again as the guests finished the set on a 9-4 run.

The Muskies briefly led 2-1 at the start of the fifth set but then trailed all the way until tying it back up at 13-13. Vorva posted another kill, though, and the match ended on an attack error as Lakeland's final attempt was just beyond the back line.

Matt Stolz (Sr.-Wauwatosa, Wis.) finished with 18 kills, Casey Bolda (Sr.-Honolulu, Hawaii) totaled 16 kills and Tim Robbins (Sr.-Wheaton, Ill.) added 12 kills. Stolz and Bolda also both posted healthy double-doubles, finishing with 15 and 13 digs, respectively.

Lakeland hit .194 for the match with 60 kills and 24 errors. The Muskies were at .286 over the first two sets with just six total errors, but posted 18 errors the rest of the way, including 15 over the third and fourth sets.

Addison Mertler (So.-Boca Raton, Fla.) notched 47 assists, while Desmond Williams (So.-Riverside, Calif.) led the block with seven total blocks (one solo, six assisted). Mertler also set a new Lakeland men's volleyball varsity school record for career assists, as his total of 1,541 assists in his first two years surpasses the mark of 1,508 by Jordan Smith in 2014-15.

The match was the final one for eight seniors, including Bolda, Robbins, Stolz, Andrew Cecere (Fremont, Calif.), Christian Frahm (Palatine, Ill.), Dan Matijevic (Palatine, Ill.), Anthony Puccini (Downers Grove, Ill.) and student assistant coach Matt Nawa. Puccini was out with an injury but Cecere, Frahm and Matijevic all played, with Cecere totaling three digs, Frahm finishing with eight digs and Matijevic adding six kills.