Wisconsin Lutheran College Warriors (0-5 overall)
at Lakeland University Muskies (0-1 overall)
Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022Â Â 5:40 p.m. & 7:40 p.m.
Woltzen Gymnasium
Lakeland/WLC Game Notes  PDF
After numerous postponements early in its season, the Lakeland University men's volleyball team hopes the false starts are over and it can get on with a regular schedule starting when it hosts Wisconsin Lutheran College for a doubleheader Thursday night at the Moose & Dona Woltzen Gymnasium.
Broadcast Information:Â
Live video and statistics for all Lakeland men's volleyball home matches are available atÂ
http://www.lakelandmuskies.com/muskieslive.
Series history:Â 3rd meeting, Lakeland leads 2-0
The Muskies and Warriors met twice last season in Wisconsin Lutheran's first season of men's volleyball, and Lakeland won both matchups in sweeps. The Muskies posted a 25-14, 25-9, 25-18 win on the road in Milwaukee Feb. 25, 2021 and then posted a 25-13, 25-21, 25-12 victory March 26. Lakeland set a new program and Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference record with 23 service aces in the first match, with
Ben Busalacchi setting a new single-match varsity record with seven aces.
Matt Misheck then tied Busalacchi's single-match record with seven aces in the second meeting. Today's doubleheader will count as a pair of non-conference matches-the Muskies and Warriors will meet March 9 for their scheduled NACC match.
Lakeland last time out: Lost to North Park 3-1 Jan. 21
The Muskies have been idle for 19 days since playing their season opener at home and falling to the Vikings in a closely contested four sets, 29-27, 25-22, 23-25, 25-20.  Lakeland held four set points in the first set but was unable to close it out as North Park rallied and then took a 2-0 match lead after winning the second set. The Muskies rallied in the third set, coming back from down 21-19 late to force a fourth set before the Vikings pulled away late to win. Misheck finished with 14 kills and
Colin Kenney added 10 kills, Busalacchi led the team with 12 digs and Cam Ekum added 23 assists plus seven kills. Lakeland dropped to 2-7 in season openers in its nine-year varsity history of men's volleyball and North Park earned its first-ever win over the Muskies in the teams' second meeting.
Wisconsin Lutheran last time out:Â Lost at Rockford 3-0 Tuesday
The Warriors played their fourth match in five days but fell to the Regents 25-19, 25-14, 25-16. Lutheran held an early lead in all three sets before Rockford pulled away late in all three in a non-conference match between NACC opponents, just as today's matches between Lakeland and WLC are. Joe Flett led the Warriors with nine kills and added seven digs, Jay Thammavongsa finished with 18 assists and eight digs and Matthew Miskowski added eight digs.
About the Warriors: The Warriors are in their second season of competition and are still looking for the program's first win after finishing 0-13 in last year's shortened season during the COVID-19 pandemic, including 0-11 in the NACC. WLC had a short roster of just ten players last year for its first season, and this year's team of 11 includes seven returnees plus four newcomers. Mike Endsley is in his second season leading the Lutheran program.
Super seniors: Lakeland seniors
Cameron Ekum and
Matt Misheck are both in their fifth season playing for the Muskies, taking advantage of the NCAA's ruling last year that any play in the 2021 season would not count towards a year of eligibility. As four-year starters, both already rank among Lakeland's all-time varsity leaders in a number of career categories, and both have the chance to move up many lists. Ekum enters the season already as the program leader in service aces, second in career assists and in the top 10 in kills, digs and sets and matches played. Misheck entered this season fourth in aces and in the top 10 in kills, digs, blocks and sets and matches played.
