Contact: Nathan Cameron, Assistant Director of Athletic Communications, 563-588-7243

Feb. 26, 2021 - The Loras College men's volleyball team (3-2, 2-1 CCIW) recorded their second win in a row Friday night against College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin foe North Park University (5-2, 2-2 CCIW). The Duhawks swept the Vikings in a straight three sets to improve to 3-2 on the season with the two losses coming from top ten nationally ranked opponents. 

Loras asserted themselves early in the first set, getting the match started with a 3-0 lead on a kill from Dorian Fiorenza and back to back kills from Patrick Mahoney. A service error from the Duhawks put North Park on the board but it was immediately followed up by a kill from the hand of Joe Horn. North Park steadily tried to claw their way back but the Duhawks continued to press forward, pulling away by seven after putting up five straight, highlighted by two kills from Fiorenza and service ace from Kevin Kessel. An attacking error from the Vikings' Emmanuel Eugene rounded out the set in Loras' favor at 25-14. 

The second set opened on a kill from North Park's Armando Quinones, but that one point lead was the only lead the Vikings held in the set as the Duhawks responded with three straight points of their own on a North Park service error and back to back aces from Jacob Bonnett on Noah Salazar. Down 3-1, North Park added two points back to bring the set back to a tie but Mahoney gave Loras the lead once again. As was the case in the first set, North Park kept the match tight through the midway point of the set but a five point run late in the set sealed the deal for Loras, seeing them emerge victorious 25-16. 

North Park came into the third set a different team from the two prior, taking an early 5-2 lead on the Duhawks. The Vikings held the lead until Loras put five straight points on the board to own the lead at 10-8. The set tied a whole 12 times in the remainer of the set as the two teams traded blows, neither one taking more than a two point lead when they held the lead. Down 24-23 with the Vikings at the service line, it was Mahoney again who tied the game back at 24-24 to force the set into extra points to decide a winner. Fiorenza gave the Duhawks the lead once more with a kill assisted by Horn and Kessel put a close to the set on a clutch service ace on North Park's Colin Wong to complete the sweep. 

In the match, the Duhawks posted an impressive ten service aces led by Kessel who let the match with three, followed by Jake Filotto, Horn and Bonnett who recorded two each and Fiorenza who had one. Fiorenza excelled offensively for the Duhawks with his 14 kills on the night, joined by Mahoney who had nine and Tyler Kratochvil who added six. Mahoney continued to lock down the defense for Loras with a match leading five blocks, while Andres Martinez tabbed three and Horn with two. 

The Duhawks return to action on Tuesday, Mar. 2 in Rock Island, Ill. as they face Augustana College in a CCIW matchup. The match is due to start at 7:00 PM.