FOND DU LAC – The Lakeland University men's volleyball team earned its first two wins of the season, winning a pair of matches at a triangular hosted by Marian University Saturday afternoon at Sadoff Gymnasium.

The Muskies performed a pair of sweeps, first defeating Wittenberg (Ohio) University 25-14, 25-23, 25-19 before topping host Marian 25-17, 25-21, 25-23 in a non-conference match between the two Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference rivals. The wins were the first two for first-year head coach Brian Rushmer.

Lakeland (2-7 overall) outhit both of its opponents, including attacking at a sterling .354 clip against Wittenberg (42 kills, 13 errors) plus at a .236 rate against Marian (36 kills, 15 errors). The Muskies also notched 14 service aces over the two matches, including seven aces by Cameron Ekum (Jr.-Wales, Wis.) plus four more from Ben Miller (Jr.-Middleton, Wis.).

Nate Vanderwaal (Sr.-Rockford, Ill.) and Matt Misheck (Jr.-Oak Forest, Ill.) presented a formidable 1-2 punch against Wittenberg, with Vanderwaal recording 18 kills with just three errors and Misheck adding 17 kills with only four errors. Ekum also added 34 assists and four aces and Isaiah Vance (Sr.-Zion, Ill.) finished with three blocks (one solo, two assisted).

Vanderwaal stayed hot against Marian, setting a career high with 22 kills and tying for the second most in a match in the seven-year history of Lakeland's varsity program. He finished one kill shy of the record of 23 set by Matt Stolz in 2017, and he was the only Muskie to finish with more than four kills against the Sabres.

Ekum posted 30 assists and both he and Maui Viola (Jr.-Gurnee, Ill.) added nine digs each. Vance also finished with five blocks (two solo, three assisted) and Miller posted four aces.

Lakeland now gets ready for its home opener when it welcomes Dominican University Friday at 7 p.m. in what is also the Muskies' NACC opener.