Less than 24 hours after one five-set match, the Lakeland University men's volleyball team went the distance again but once again came out on the wrong end in a loss to Aurora University Saturday afternoon at the Moose & Dona Woltzen Gymnasium.

The Spartans rallied for a 21-25, 25-23, 24-26, 27-25, 15-12 win in a grueling Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference match. The Muskies ended up finishing 0-2 on the day as they also were defeated by North Central (Ill.) College 25-21, 25-11, 25-16 in a non-conference match.

Lakeland (4-7 overall, 2-2 NACC) and Aurora were about as evenly matched as could be, with momentum swinging back and forth throughout more than two hours of play. The Muskies were unable to close it out, though, after leading 2-1 after three sets and having opportunities in both of the final two sets.

Lakeland was just four points from closing out the match after a kill by Desmond Williams (Jr.-Riverside, Calif.) resulted in a 21-19 lead in the fourth set. Aurora (8-3 overall, 3-0 NACC) came back with three straight points, though, and four errors by the Muskies late including a pair of blocks resulted in the Spartans pushing to a fifth set.

The Muskies also got the jump in the fifth set, scoring the first three points and leading 8-7 when the teams switched ends. Lakeland still held a 12-11 lead after a Spartans service error, but would not score again. A service error, attack error and block put Aurora on the doorstep of the win, and Tim Breiter closed it out with a kill to end the match.

A number of players finished with big individual numbers for the match. Dakota Hunter (Jr.-Waukesha, Wis.) finished with 15 kills, Jarrod Verhamme (Fr.-Long Beach, Calif.) and Matt Misheck (Fr.-Oak Forest, Ill.) finished with 13 kills and Williams added 11. Addison Mertler (Jr.-Boca Raton, Fla.) totaled 46 assists, J.T. Levitt (Jr.-Schaumburg, Ill.) added 21 digs and Williams had seven blocks (two solo, five assisted) as part of the team's total of 14 blocks.

Lakeland hit .117 as a team with 52 kills and 33 errors, while the Spartans hit at a .202 rate (66 kills, 31 errors) and won despite 23 service errors. Jack Fischer finished with 18 kills plus 13 digs for Aurora and Justin Yost added 53 assists and 13 digs.

The Muskies had little left in the tank for their second match against North Central and also played with a modified lineup with several starters resting. Lakeland put up a good fight at the start in a close first set, but then never led in the final two sets as the Cardinals rolled to victory.

North Central hit .537 with 49 kills and just five errors in 82 attacks, as the Muskies finished with just one block. Bozhidar Kolven notched 12 kills without an error and was one of four with at least nine kills.

Hunter had a good hitting performance with 11 kills and just three errors in 21 swings but was the only Muskie with more than five kills. Cameron Ekum (Fr.-Wales, Wis.) took over setting duties and posted 23 assists plus two service aces, while Levitt paced the back row with six digs.

The Muskies are back in action next Saturday when they travel to face Dominican University at 2 p.m. in River Forest, Ill.