SPRINGFIELD, Ohio – The Lakeland University men's volleyball team was competitive in both matches even as it opened its 2018 season with a pair of losses Friday night at the Jim Coleman Classic hosted by Wittenberg (Ohio) University.

The Muskies went four sets in both of their matches, including their season debut against No. 6 Juniata (Pa.) College which resulted in a 23-25, 25-13, 25-22, 25-23 defeat. Lakeland also lost the nightcap when it dropped a 25-15, 27-29, 27-25, 25-13 decision to Lancaster Bible College (Pa.).

The Muskies gave credible efforts in both matches, including the opener against a Juniata team ranked sixth in the AVCA/NCAA Division III Top 15 Coaches Poll. Lakeland hit just .051 as a team (36 kills, 29 errors in 137 attempts) but won the first set and then was tied at 22-22 late in the third set before the Eagles pulled through.

Lakeland also won the second set against Lancaster Bible and rallied in the third set from a 16-8 deficit to earn set point at 24-22. The Muskies couldn't close it out, though, and the Chargers scored five of the final six points to rally before easily winning the fourth set.

Dakota Hunter (Jr.-Waukesha, Wis.) set a career high with 14 kills in the first match of the night and then broke that mark with 15 kills in the second. He also added 20 digs.

Addison Mertler (Jr.-Boca Raton, Fla.) notched 66 assists over the two matches and J.T. Levitt (Jr.-Schaumburg, Ill.) totaled 32 digs. Desmond Williams (Jr.-Riverside, Calif.) also finished with 14 kills and seven blocks and freshman Jarrod Verhamme (Long Beach, Calif.) also added 10 kills, including eight in the second match. Noah Cotterman (Jr.-Glendale, Ariz.) also added a career-high eight kills against Lancaster Bible.

The Muskies continue play in the tourney on Saturday, first facing host school Wittenberg at 10 a.m. Central time before squaring off with Cincinnati Christian University at 3 p.m.

Box Score Juniata 3 Lakeland 1
Box Score LBC 3 Lakeland 1
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