ANNANDALE-ON-HUDSON, NY – The Penn State Behrend men's volleyball team split a pair of United Volleyball Conference (UVC) matches, defeating Bard 3-1 and then falling to No. 3 Vassar 3-0 on Saturday afternoon.
In the first match, the Lions (11-13, 2-6 UVC) tallied their second UVC win of the season with scores of 25-13, 25-15, 20-25, 25-11 over Bard (5-19, 0-7 UVC). Trenton Munk (Baden, PA/Ambridge) and Dillon Hildebrand (Red Lion, PA/Red Lion) had double-digit kills with 13 and 10, respectively.
Playing their seventh national-ranked opponent this season, the Lions were outlasted by Vassar (23-6, 7-0 UVC) 25-11, 25-19 and 29-27 in the second match.
Against Bard, Behrend opened up with a 12-5 run behind the five service points from Tyler Herrmann (Cranberry Township, PA/Seneca Valley) including two aces. The lead grew to 13 at 23-10 with an ace from Anthony Sprentz (Cranberry Township, PA/Seneca Valley), before Munk recorded a kill and then winning on a service error at 25-13.
The Lions did not let the Raptors get close in the second set, pulling out to a 14-5 lead. In addition to 12 kills on offense, Behrend relied on eight errors by Bard to win the second set 25-15. The Raptors managed to take set three 25-20 and Behrend finished the match by taking the fourth set, 25-11.
With a small 10-6 lead in the fourth, the Lions went on a 15-5 run to collect the conference victory.
Munk added seven more kills and five blocks in the match against the Brewers. Calvin Nowicki (Eden, NY/Eden) dished out 13 assists and tallied eight digs.
Vassar held a 10-7 edge in the first set and then won the next six out of eight points to take a 16-9 lead, before holding Behrend to just two more points and winning 25-11. In the second set, the Lions took a 10-9 lead but the Brewers used a 10-3 run to take a 19-3 lead and getting the set point on a kill from Brian Manley at 25-19.
Trying to force a fourth set and keep the match going, Behrend went point-for-point with two chances to win the set. Tied at 27-all, Christian Lizana knocked consecutive kills for a 29-27 win.
Robert McMaster (North Huntingdon, PA/Norwin) also added eight digs vs. Vassar.
The Lions return to action tomorrow at Wilkes. Match time is 1 p.m.