PLYMOUTH, Wis. – Ben Busalacchi (So.-Muskego, Wis.) finished with ten kills and the Lakeland University men's volleyball team won for the first time in Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference play this season, sweeping Rockford University in three sets Saturday afternoon at the Moose & Dona Woltzen Gymnasium.

The Muskies came out strong and went on to a 25-15, 25-20, 25-22 win to snap a five-match losing skid and defeat the Regents for the first time ever. Lakeland also bounced back from a four-set loss to Aurora University less than 16 hours earlier and improved to 4-6 overall and 1-4 in the NACC.

The Muskies dominated the first set and then did enough to win in the final two sets, staying a step ahead of the Regents (3-16 overall, 0-6 NACC) throughout. Lakeland hit .175 as a team with 30 kills and 16 errors in 80 attacks and also added a 10-2 advantage over the guests in service aces.

The Muskies never trailed in the opening set and built a 14-5 lead just past the midpoint on the way to a comfortable win. Lakeland hit .409 in the first set with 13 kills, including five from Busalacchi, and Tim Matijevic (So.-Palatine, Ill.) closed the set with two kills late and then a service ace for the clinching point.

Rockford provided more resistance in the second set and trailed 14-12 before the Muskies scored four of the next five points for an 18-13 lead. The Regents would get no closer than three the rest of the set, but they would respond in the third set after Lakeland took an early 7-2 lead, going on a 10-1 run for their biggest lead at any point in the match at 12-8. The Muskies would answer, though, outscoring Rockford 12-3 to gain the upper hand that they would hold the rest of the way, even as the Regents closed within two on three occasions late.

Busalacchi hit .300 for the match with his ten kills and four errors in 20 attacks. Matijevic added four kills in seven attacks plus three aces and three block assists. Cameron Ekum (Sr.-Wales, Wis.) also finished with four kills, 22 assists, six digs and three aces and Drew Green (Jr.-Brooklyn Center, Minn.) led Lakeland's back row defense with seven digs. Levi Everts (Fr.-Hartford, Wis.) also added four kills and five digs.

Jose Padron and Isaiah Dixon led Rockford with seven kills each and Josh Albers finished with 16 assists and eight digs. The Regents hit .071 for the match with 21 kills and 16 errors.

Lakeland is home again Wednesday when it hosts Wisconsin Lutheran College at 7 p.m.