PLYMOUTH, Wis. – The Lakeland University men's volleyball team started strong but highly ranked Carthage College found its stride late in the first set and went on to a three-set sweep Tuesday night at the Moose & Dona Woltzen Gymnasium.
The Firebirds won a close first set that went well past the 25-point threshold and proceeded to a 29-27, 25-15, 25-19 win. The Muskies fell in their home opener and dropped to 1-2 on the season while perennial NCAA Division III power Carthage won its season opener.
The Firebirds came in ranked second in the AVCA Division III Top 20 Preseason Coaches Poll after finishing 23-4 last year, but Lakeland was in control for much of the first set and was on the doorstep of getting an early lead in the match. The Muskies led 16-11 when Carthage took its first timeout of the set, and led 22-16, just three points from taking the set when the Firebirds rallied with six straight points.
Eli Weinrich (
Sr.-Mequon, Wis.) delivered a kill to inch Lakeland back ahead, and
Sage Xiong (
So.-Erie, Colo.) followed with a kill to get the Muskies a set point at 24-23. The Firebirds came back with the next two points, though, and would have four match points before finally closing the set out.
Lakeland also got an early jump in the second set, leading 9-4 early before Carthage heated up. The Firebirds scored 11 of the next 13 points, with a service ace from Ryan Kelly making it 15-11, and extended the run to 19-4 before cruising home to win the set. Carthage then took the lead early in the third set and led the rest of the way, leading by as many as eight points before the Muskies closed within four late.
Colin Putchinski (
Fr.-Waukesha, Wis.) led Lakeland with nine kills and added five digs and Weinrich and Xiong both added eight digs.
Chase Anderson (
Sr.-Hartford, Wis.) posted 19 assists and
Jordan Davis-Troller (
Sr.-Cottage Grove, Wis.) finished with three blocks.
Ben Heise paced Carthage with 10 kills and Ryan Monahan added eight kills off the bench. The Firebirds hit .277 for the match with 41 kills and 15 errors, including 27 kills and eight errors (.373 hitting percentage) in the final two sets.
Lakeland is home again Saturday to host a triangular with Maranatha Baptist University and the University of Olivet (Mich.). The Muskies take on Maranatha at noon and face Olivet at 4 p.m., with the two visiting teams squaring off at 2 p.m.
