FULTON, Mo. – Colin Putchinski (Fr.-Waukesha, Wis.) blasted a pair of service aces to close out the match and the Lakeland University men's volleyball team defeated Westminster (Mo.) College in four sets Friday afternoon at Westminster Gym.

The Muskies finished up a 25-23, 25-20, 17-25, 31-29 win for their second straight victory and second win in 18 hours in their trip to the St. Louis area. Lakeland improved to 5-6 overall on the season and earned its best win of the campaign so far, topping a Bluejays team (10-3 overall) that has received votes in the AVCA/NCAA Division III Top 20 Coaches Poll the past several weeks.

Putchinski closed out an extra-long final set with a pair of thunderous aces, his second and third aces of the match. The freshman's first came at 29-29 after a Westminster service error, and the second game on the Muskies' second match point.

Lakeland won its longest set of the season so far and finished the match by fighting off a total of six set points for the Bluejays, who were poised to send the match to a deciding fifth set after scoring four straight points to take a 24-22 lead. Jordan Davis-Troller (Sr.-Cottage Grove, Wis.) twice posted kills to keep Lakeland alive, and the Muskies finally earned their first match point at 27-26 after a Westminster attack error.

The Bluejays stayed alive with a kill by Brady Sickles and then earned their fifth set point at 28-27 after a kill by Khalil Peterson. Jakob Donohue (Sr.-Milwaukee, Wis.) followed with a kill to tie it again, but a Lakeland attack error gave Westminster another set point at 29-28 that was followed by a Bluejays service error.

The Muskies won despite being outhit in three of the four sets, receiving 10 well-placed service aces in the match. Lakeland also took advantage of 14 Bluejays service errors, including errors on serve that ended both the first and second sets.

Eli Weinrich (Sr.-Mequon, Wis.) led the Muskies with 12 kills and also added 12 digs. Davis-Troller posted 10 kills, Sage Xiong (So.-Erie, Colo.) finished with nine kills and Putchinski added eight kills. Chase Anderson (Sr.-Hartford, Wis.) finished with 37 assists plus nine digs and three block assists, and libero Luke Schultz (Fr.-Waukesha, Wis.) totaled 15 digs.

Derrick Turner led Westminster with a match-high 16 kills and Brady Sickles served five of the Bluejay's 10 aces. Westminster hit .187 (50 kills, 24 errors), slightly ahead of Lakeland's .170 attack percentage (49 kills, 24 errors).

The Muskies return to Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference play Tuesday when they travel to take on St. Norbert College for a 7 p.m. start in De Pere.