LISLE, Ill. – Benedictine University played with a lead almost the entire match and the Lakeland University men's volleyball team was defeated in three sets Friday night in a Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference match.
The Eagles cruised to a 25-11, 25-17, 25-19 sweep to stay near the top of the NACC standings, in second place one match behind Dominican University. Lakeland dropped to 6-8 overall and 3-6 in the conference with four regular season matches left, three in NACC play.
Benedictine (10-7 overall, 6-1 NACC) never trailed in the first two sets, including a nearly spotless first set with 12 kills and one error in 19 attacks (.579 hitting percentage). The Eagles built a 6-0 lead right out of the gate in the first set and then scored the first four points of the second set.
The Muskies settled down in the second set and played on nearly even terms after falling behind early. Benedictine's lead was just 20-16 after a kill by
Tim Matijevic (
So.-Palatine, Ill.), but the Eagles closed the set scoring five of the final six points.
Lakeland took its first lead of the match with the first two points of the third set, including an ace down the line by
Cameron Ekum (
Sr.-Wales, Wis.). The Muskies built their biggest lead at 8-4 after another ace by
Colin Kenney (
So.-Shorewood, Wis.) and still led 10-9 after a kill by Ekum, but Benedictine responded with six straight points and was in control from there, never leading by less than three the rest of the way.
Ekum and
Ben Busalacchi (
So.-Muskego, Wis.) finished with seven kills each to lead Lakeland, which hit .125 for the match with 25 kills and 16 errors in 72 attacks. Kenney also added five kills. Ekum also finished with 16 assists and Matijevic added three kills and three blocks (one solo, two assisted).
Jacob Grygo and Nathan Klimisch finished with nine kills each to lead Benedictine, which finished hitting .317 with 33 kills and 13 errors. Sanchit Khaitan added 24 assists and seven digs and Klimisch also finished with four of the Eagles' 11 service aces.
Lakeland is back on the court Wednesday night when it travels to face Concordia University Wisconsin for a 7 p.m. first serve in Mequon.
