ERIE, Pa. – The Penn State Behrend men's volleyball team fell 3-2 in the 2023 Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC) Championship match to New Jersey City on Saturday afternoon in the Junker Center. The Lions defeated St. Elizabeth in the first match of the day, 3-0.
Match One:
Score: Penn State Behrend 3, St. Elizabeth 0 (25-19, 25-20, 25-13)
Records: Penn State Behrend (19-8), St. Elizabeth (12-9)
Key Moments:
* The Lions hit .413 as a team, knocking down 43 kills on 75 attempts to sweep St. Elizabeth
* Dylan Buzalka (Carlisle, PA/Cumberland Valley) led with 10 kills, while Kevin Skweres (White Oak, PA/Norwin) tallied six kills all in the second set
* Alex Jackson (Cochranton, PA/Cochranton) registered 28 assists, three kills, two digs and one ace
* Adrian Martinez (San Juan, Puerto Rico/Wesleyan Academy) managed eight digs and two assists
* Five different player registered two or more kills in the first set to put Behrend ahead 1-0
* Buzalka added four and Owen Wienczkowski (Waterford, PA/Fort LeBoeuf) added three for a 25-19 victory
* Skweres took over the second set, posting three straight kills in as many attempts to start
* Behrend never trailed in the second set for a 25-20 decision
* Kyle Hoffman (Carlton, PA/Cochranton) and Mark Sandford (Erie, PA/McDowell) tallied three kills apiece in the final six points to help the Lions get a 25-13 win
* Caden Mealy (Meadville, PA/Meadville) dished out seven assists in the third set
Match Two:
Score: New Jersey City 3, Penn State Behrend 2 (16-25, 21-25, 29-27, 25-19, 15-9)
Records: Penn State Behrend (19-9), New Jersey City (19-10)
Key Moments:
* Behrend held a 16-7 advantage in kills in the first set to post a comfortable win at 25-16
* Wienczkowski had four kills and Jackson handed out 13 assist on the 16 kills
* The Gothic Knights had a closer second set with 14 ties and four lead changes, but favored the Lions in the end 25-21
* Hoffman registered five kills in the second set, finishing with a team-lead 18
* New Jersey City won in extra points in the third, sparking new life for the final two sets
* The Gothic Knights had 11 team blocks
* Jackson had a double-double with 48 assists and 12 digs
* Wienczkowski tallied 12 kills and five blocks, while Cameron Schleicher (Meadville, PA/Meadville) recorded 12 kills on 21 attempts for a .429 attack percentage
