Contact: Emily Adlfinger, Director of Athletic Communications, 563-588-7970

PLYMOUTH, WIS. (Feb. 8, 2020) – Rallying on multiple occasions, the Loras College men's volleyball team (6-2) finished 2-0 on the weekend after securing its first five-set victory of the 2020 campaign against Lakeland University (3-9) on Saturday. 

After both teams traded points to open the match, the Duhawks took a 10-6 lead off an error by the Muskies and a kill from Dorian Fiorenza. Loras continued to hold onto the lead after a block by Max Ellenbecker and David Beach extended the lead 12-7. A three –point spurt from the Muskies tied the set 13-13 and soon Lakeland took control with a 19-16 lead, forcing the Duhawks to call a time out. Coming out of the break, Loras found a rhythm as Patrick Hollander went up for the solo block and then found Fiorenza for a kill and both Ellenbecker and Hollander put on another defensive display at the net to tie the score 19-19. It was neck and neck coming down to the final points in the set, but the Muskies held on and scored the final two points to win 25-23.

Loras came out in the second set with a vengeance, taking a 7-0 lead with kills from Fiorenza, Beach, and Ellenbecker. The Duhawks caught the Muskies off guard with a match-high hitting percentage of .474 and efficient offense, cruising to a 25-13 second-set victory. Loras had that momentum again in the third set, taking an 8-4 lead following three kills from Fiorenza and one from Jake Filotto and soon grew the lead to 11-6. Lakeland continued to rally back, scoring five-straight points mid set to take a 17-15 lead, but Ian Walsh, Filotto and Fiorenza answered back with three kills to lead 18-17. Fiorenza then hit the equalizer to tie the score 20-20, but the Muskie again escaped the Duhawks' comeback and took the set, 25-22.

A block by Ellenbecker and Beach set up a kill for Fiorenza on the next play to double-up Lakeland, 12-6 in the fourth set. In similar fashion to the second set, the Duhawks delivered relentless offense, going on a five-point run late in the set to arrive at set point, 24-12. The Muskies responded with a kill to momentarily pause the Duhawks' run to the win, but a service error by Lakeland gave Loras the final point and sent the match to its fifth set with a 25-13 win.

In the fifth set, Lakeland took the lead, 6-2 but not for long as Ellenbecker sparked a four-point run and Kevin Kessel capped it off with a service ace to lead 10-9. Both teams battled back and forth for the critical points and the Muskies soon took a 14-13 lead, knocking on the door to seal the win. A service error by Lakeland gave the serve back to Loras and Beach capitalized with a kill, forcing the Muskies to play into extra point. Lakeland took a 16-15 lead and again looked to win the match, but a service error stymied the home team's effort and set Filotto up for the game-winning kill to give the Duhawks their first five-set victory of the season.

Fiorenza tallied 22 kills in the win and shared the lead with 11 digs alongside Filotto. Ellenbecker had eight blocks and Hollander had 41 assists. The Duhawks had 12 kills on 19 attempts in the second set and committed zero attacking errors in the fourth set to post a .440 hitting percentage with 11 kills on 25 attempts.

Loras' next match will be at Lillis Court on Valentine's Day, Friday, Feb. 14 as the Duhawks host No. 11-ranked Benedictine University at 7 P.M.