FOND DU LAC, Wis. – The Lakeland University men's volleyball team started fast but Marian University took control from the second set on and defeated the Muskies in four sets Wednesday night at Marian's Sadoff Gymnasium.
The Sabres prevailed 19-25, 25-17, 25-20, 25-19 as the Muskies lost their second straight Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference match to start the league schedule. Lakeland dropped to 6-8 overall and 0-2 in the NACC while Marian moved to 8-7 overall and 2-2 in conference.
The Muskies led almost the whole way in the first set to take an early lead in the match.
Sage Xiong (
Fr.-Erie, Colo.) posted five kills in the set and
Levi Everts (
Sr.-Hartford, Wis.) added three kills and Lakeland hit a strong .333 with 15 kills and four errors in 33 attacks.
The Muskies would never reach that hitting mark again the rest of the match, though, including a .042 hitting percentage in the second set (eight kills, seven errors) as Marian evened the match. The Sabres began to warm up in the third set, hitting .286 with 13 kills to three errors, and Lakeland began to lose contact after a rally early. The Muskies came back from three points down to tie at 13-13 and again at 14-14 and 15-15, but Marian pulled away with a 9-2 run.
Lakeland led early in the fourth set, up by three points at 7-4 after a block by
Jordan Davis-Troller (
Jr.-Cottage Grove, Wis.), but the Sabres went on a 7-2 run in taking the lead and later put together another 6-1 run to pull ahead 20-14.
Ben Busalacchi (
Sr.-Muskego, Wis.) led the Muskies with nine kills and 10 digs and Xiong and
Eli Weinrich (
Jr.-Mequon, Wis.) added eight kills each.
Chase Anderson (
Jr.-Hartford, Wis.) also added 36 kills plus a career-high 19 digs as well as three blocks. Lakeland hit .184 for the match with 43 kills and 22 errors.
Derek Wills led Marian with 13 kills. The Sabres finished hitting .205 with 42 kills and 17 errors and also posted an 11-4 lead in service aces.
Lakeland is on the road again Saturday when it takes on Wisconsin Lutheran College at noon in Milwaukee.
