CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – The Penn State Behrend men's volleyball team dropped a pair of matches to nationally-ranked opponents, falling to No. 4 Stevens and No. 13 MIT 3-0 in United Volleyball Conference (UVC) action on Saturday.
Senior middle hitter Trenton Munk (Baden, PA/Ambridge) became the program's all-time leader in kills with 686 for his career with 20 total kills on the day to surpass former teammate Josh Oertly (2012-16), who held the record at 678. Munk set the career blocks record against Mt. St. Vincent on Friday night, also held by Oertly.
MIT tallied a 25-19, 25-19 and 25-18 victory in the first match, before Stevens collected a 25-14, 25-20 and 25-16 decision for the UVC win.
Against the Engineers, Munk led with seven kills and two blocks while Tyler Herrmann (Cranberry Township, PA/Seneca Valley) added 12 digs and Calvin Nowicki (Eden, NY/Eden) posted 12 assists.
In the first set, MIT never trailed and pulled ahead 21-12. The Lions got within five at 22-17, but the Engineers held off Behrend and won on a kill from Tavish Smith at 25-19.
The second set was tied at 11-all and then MIT managed to keep a two-point lead until the end, using a 7-4 run for its second straight 25-19 victory.
The Lions hung in the third set and tallied from a 14-10 deficit to take a 17-16 lead on a kill from Cody Geis (Mechanicsburg, PA/Cumberland Valley). A late 5-1 spurt got the Engineers back on top, leading to a 25-18 win for the match.
Against Stevens in the nightcap, Munk set the school record in the first set with seven kills. Only need six entering the match, the senior set the mark on the second to last point for the Lions on a set by Anthony Sprentz (Cranberry Township, PA/Seneca Valley). Behrend fell in the set, 25-14.
The Ducks did not trail in the second for a close 25-20 win and fought back from a 3-0 start by the Lions in the third. Stevens managed to go on a 21-10 run for an eight-point lead and finish with a nine-point advantage in the end for the match.
Sprentz finished the day with 26 assists, 15 against Stevens and 11 vs. MIT.
Behrend returns to action on Tuesday against Thiel. Match time is 7 p.m.
