AURORA, Ill. – Aurora University controlled the first two sets and then rallied to pull out the third and sweep the Lakeland University men's volleyball team Thursday night in a Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference match.

The Muskies fell to a nationally ranked opponent for the fourth time this season with a 25-18, 25-18, 25-22 loss to the Spartans, ranked 10th in the latest AVCA NCAA Division III Top 20 Coaches Poll. Lakeland dropped to 6-13 overall and is 0-7 in the NACC.

Lakeland played for the first time in nine days but never led in the first two sets and saw a late rally in the third set fall short.

The Spartans (18-3 overall, 7-0 NACC) appeared ready to pull away in the third when they scored three straight points to take a 14-9 lead, but the Muskies responded with a 9-3 run to take an 18-17 lead. Aurora answered back, though, with five of the next six points and led the rest of the way.

Jordan Davis-Troller (Jr.-Cottage Grove, Wis.) and Eli Weinrich (Jr.-Mequon, Wis.) led Lakeland with six kills each, Weinrich added a team-high eight digs and Joe Bieganski (Fr.-Hartford, Wis.) posted two service aces. Ben Busalacchi (Sr.-Muskego, Wis.) also posted five kills and seven digs and Chase Anderson (Jr.-Hartford, Wis.) totaled 20 assists.

Josh McLellan led Aurora with 13 kills. The Spartans also finished with a 9-2 advantage in blocks, with nine different players registering at least one block assist.

The Muskies are back home Saturday to face Rockford University at 1 p.m. at the Moose & Dona Woltzen Gymnasium.