PLYMOUTH, Wis. – Drew Green (Sr.-Brooklyn Center, Minn.) set a career high with 20 digs and the Lakeland University men's volleyball team got off to a good start but Marian University came firing back for a four-set victory Wednesday night at the Moose & Dona Woltzen Gymnasium.

The Muskies put up a spirited effort but the Sabres prevailed 17-25, 25-19, 25-20, 25-22 in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference match between the two rivals separated by just over 30 minutes. Marian won for the fifth straight time in the series between the teams and improved to 14-4 overall and 5-1 in the NACC, while Lakeland dropped to 5-11 overall and 2-4 in conference.

The Muskies did a number of things well, including posting 10 service aces and eight blocks, just the second match this season posting numbers that high in both categories. Lakeland also made Marian work for its attack, including Green breaking his previous career high of 17 digs set earlier this season, but the Sabres ultimately were still the more effective hitting team, with a .180 hitting percentage (42 kills, 20 errors) to the Muskies' .111 mark (46 kills, 31 errors).

Lakeland started strong, winning the first set convincingly after taking the lead before the midway point and then closing on a 7-1 run. Marian responded by leading the whole way in taking the second set, but the final two sets were up for grabs until the Sabres made a move late in both.

The third set featured 10 ties, including one at 13-13 after a kill by Ben Busalacchi (Sr.-Muskego, Wis.), but Marian scored the next three points to gain the upper hand. The Muskies would get as close as one at 17-16 and again at 18-17, the latter after a block by Colin Kenney (Sr.-Shorewood, Wis.) and Jakob Donahue (So.-Milwaukee, Wis.), but the Sabres went on a 6-1 run to pull away.

The fourth set also included five ties early, and neither team put together more than three straight points in the set. Marian was slightly more successful getting sideouts, though, and Lakeland committed 10 attack errors in the set to the Sabres' three. The Muskies did cut a six-point deficit down to three at 21-18, but Marian responded with the next two points and eventually closed the match out on its third match point.

Busalacchi finished with 16 kills and also added nine digs and a match-high five service aces, and Eli Weinrich (So.-Mequon, Wis.) also was effective on the attack with 12 kills plus 11 digs. Levi Everts (Jr.-Hartford, Wis.) also added seven kills and nine digs and Chase Anderson (So.-Hartford, Wis.) posted 41 assists.

Cam Muller led Marian with 12 kills and also added eight block assists. Derek Wills added 10 kills and 14 digs and Keanu Ouranitsas-Hayes finished with six kills and combined with Muller on many blocks with seven block assists.

Lakeland is in action next in one week when it faces Concordia University Wisconsin at 7 p.m. in Mequon.