RIVER FOREST, Ill. – The Lakeland University men's volleyball team ran into a formidable opponent as it was defeated in three sets by nationally ranked Dominican University Saturday afternoon in a Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference match.

The Stars rolled to a 25-17, 25-16, 25-13 win behind a nearly flawless attack and a strong block. Dominican is ranked sixth in the most recent AVCA/NCAA Division III Top 15 Coaches Poll and improved to 9-3 overall and 3-0 in the NACC.

The Stars hit .464 for the match with 39 kills and just seven errors in 69 attacks. Three players finished with at least five kills without an error, led by Troy Kates (7-for-7, 1.000 hitting percentage) and Luke Spicer with a match-high 11 kills in just 16 swings (.688).

Dominican also posted nine team blocks and added six service aces. The Stars never trailed in the first or second sets and only twice in the early stages of the third set.

Lakeland (4-9 overall, 2-3 NACC) hit just .049 with 25 kills and 21 errors in 82 attacks. The Muskies also failed to register a block.

Desmond Williams (Jr.-Riverside, Calif.) led the hitters with six kills, Dakota Hunter (Jr.-Waukesha, Wis.) totaled five kills and Ben Miller (Fr.-Middleton, Wis.) added four kills in four attacks. Addison Mertler (Jr.-Boca Raton, Fla.) posted 15 assists and J.T. Levitt (Jr.-Schaumburg, Ill.) led the defense with seven digs.

Lakeland returns to play on Wednesday when it travels to face Milwaukee School of Engineering for another NACC match at 7 p.m. in Milwaukee.