The Lakeland University men's volleyball team will play its fourth and fifth matches in a four-day span when it hosts Olivet (Mich.) College for a doubleheader starting at noon Sunday.
Live video and statistics for all Lakeland men's volleyball home matches are available atÂ
The Muskies and Comets have met twice before, but not since 2017. Lakeland won 25-10, 25-23, 25-22 in the last matchup at the Moose & Dona Woltzen Gymnasium March 11, 2017, and the Muskies also won the first-ever matchup between the teams in Olivet, Mich., in three sets Feb. 13, 2016, prevailing 25-15, 25-19, 25-11. The teams were scheduled to meet last year but their match last February was canceled due to COVID-19 considerations.
Lakeland last time out: Defeated Morningside (Iowa) 3-1; Lost at Viterbo 3-1 yesterday
The Muskies played across the state yesterday with Viterbo hosting a triangular in La Crosse. Lakeland faced a pair of NAIA programs, first defeating Morningside 27-25, 25-23, 14-25, 25-20 before falling to the host V-Hawks 23-25, 25-17, 25-18, 25-22.
Ben Busalacchi posted 13 kills and three service aces and
Colin Kenney added nine kills in the first match against the Mustangs. Busalacchi then tied a career high with 21 kills and added four aces in the second match,
Hunter Henson added seven kills and
Gavin Kenney totaled 13 digs. Busalacchi's 21 kills are tied for the 10th-most in a match in Lakeland's varsity history. Nate Vanderwaal holds the program record with 29 kills on two occasions in 2020.
The Muskies bounced back with a win in their opener against Morningside after falling to another NAIA member in Roosevelt (Ill.) Friday night in a close three-set match.
Olivet last time out: Defeated Wisconsin Lutheran 3-0; Lost at St. Norbert 3-0 Friday
The Comets opened their season Friday with a tri-match in De Pere against a pair of Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference schools and hosted by St. Norbert. Olivet won the opener against Wisconsin Lutheran 25-19, 28-26, 25-23, before falling to the host Green Knights 25-15, 25-23, 25-21. Kai Hartman led Olivet with 18 kills over the two matches including nine kills in both, Everett Haynes notched 20 digs and Thayne Bilicki added four blocks.
The Comets finished 5-14 last year, losing eight of their final nine matches after a 4-6 start. The five wins were still the second-most in a season in the history of a program that played its first season 2016, one win shy of Olivet's six wins in 2018. The Comets are members of the Midwest Collegiate Volleyball League, also the home for Lakeland's team until the NACC began sponsoring men's volleyball in 2018.
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