PLYMOUTH, Wis. – The Lakeland University men's volleyball team started fast but nationally ranked Carthage College warmed up as the match went on and defeated the Muskies in four sets Monday night at the Moose & Dona Woltzen Gymnasium.

The Muskies won the opening set before the Firebirds rallied for a 23-25, 25-22, 25-19, 25-15 victory in the non-conference match that also served as the season opener for both teams. The contest came three days after it was originally scheduled to be played, after the winter storm across southern Wisconsin on Friday caused the match's initial postponement.

Lakeland came out strong against perennial NCAA Division III contender Carthage, which is ranked eighth in the NVA/AVCA Division III Top 20 Coaches Poll coming into the season. The Muskies hit .290 in the first set, went on a 6-1 run late to take a 21-17 lead, and held it the rest of the way as Ben Busalacchi (Sr.-Muskego, Wis.) posted nine kills plus two service aces in the opening set alone.

Carthage began to assert control at the start of the second set, starting with a 4-0 run and going ahead 11-3 early on. Lakeland refused to fold, though, and scored eight straight points late in the set including three from Levi Everts (Jr.-Hartford, Wis.) to close within 22-20 late. The Muskies also would fight off two set points before the Firebirds finally closed the set out on a kill by Owen Hendricks to tie the match.

The teams also were close for the first half of the third and fourth sets, but Carthage pulled away late in both sets. Lakeland was down just 14-13 in the third set after a kill by Jordan Davis-Troller (So.-Cottage Grove, Wis.) before the Firebirds scored six of the next seven points, and the guests scored 14 of the match's final 20 points after the Muskies trailed just 11-9 near the midway point of the fourth set.

Busalacchi finished with 19 kills plus four service aces and Everts added eight kills plus seven digs. Colin Kenney (Sr.-Shorewood, Wis.) also finished with seven kills, six digs and two service aces and setter Chase Anderson (So.-Hartford, Wis.) totaled 34 assists plus a team-high 11 digs.

Lakeland hit .175 as a team with 44 kills and 23 attack errors. The Muskies also finished with nine service aces, including Alex Zamora (Sr.-Plainfield, Ill.) also added two aces off the bench.

Ryan Cholewinski led Carthage with 10 kills, with Mitch Geiger adding nine kills and Ben Heise and Owen Otto eight kills each. The Firebirds posted a .235 hitting percentage including 40 kills and 16 errors.

The Muskies next will travel to face the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Thursday night at 7 p.m. in Stevens Point.