Men’s volleyball team splits two non-conference matches at Illinois Tech Triangular

CHICAGO, Ill. – The Olivet College men's volleyball team split two matches of a non-conference triangular today hosted by Illinois Institute of Technology and inside the Keating Sports Center in Chicago, Illinois. The Comets beat the host Scarlet Hawks in four sets before being swept by Robert Morris (Ill.) University in three sets.

THE BASICS
Final Score: Olivet def. Illinois Tech 25-19, 25-23, 20-25, 25-19
Location: Keating Center; Chicago, Ill.
Records: Olivet 2-6 overall, Illinois Tech 4-15 overall

HOW IT HAPPENED

• In the first set, neither team led by more than two points until Olivet used a 7-1 run at the end of the set to pull away for a 25-19 win. The Comets finished the opening set with a .429 hitting percentage (12 kills and zero attack errors on 28 attempts) compared to a .139 attack percentage for the Scarlet Hawks. 
• Trailing by a 7-6 score in the second set, Olivet went on a 4-0 run for a 10-7 lead. The Comets maintained their lead throughout the rest of the set, leading by as many as four points on five occasions. The last time was 18-14. Illinois Tech fought back to trim its deficit to a single points twice, 21-20 and 24-23, before a Scarlet Hawk attack error ended the set in Olivet's favor, 25-23. For the set, the Comets pounded down 13 more kills. 
• The start of the third set was back-and-forth, with five tied scores. After the last one at 10-10, Olivet scored four straight points – back-to-back service aces by junior Rhett Pringle, followed by back-to-back kills by freshman Andrew McCormick – to go up 14-10. The Comets continued to lead until the Scarlet Hawks took a 17-16 lead. The Comets leveled the set at 17-17 and 18-18. Illinois Tech closed the set by scoring seven of the final nine points. 
• The fourth set was similar to the first three, with six tied scores and several lead changes. Following the last tie at 6-6, Olivet used a 3-0 run to go ahead 9-6. The Comets did not relinquish the lead for the rest of the set.

FOR THE COMETS

• For the match, Olivet recorded a .225 attack percentage, with 45 kills and 16 errors on 129 attempts.
• McCormick and senior Luke DeWitt each had 11 kills to pace the front row. McCormick hit at a .360 clip, while DeWitt had a .276 attack percentage.
• Freshmen Brock Pringle and Trent Robinson finished with nine and eight kills, respectively.
• Robinson registered seven assisted blocks.
• Freshman Mathew Caamal dished out 41 set assists.
• Junior Talen Schallhorn collected 13 digs.

FOR THE SCARLET HAWKS

• Illinois Tech posted a .176 attack percentage, as the Scarlet Hawks had 59 kills with 33 errors on 148 attack attempts.
• Lukasz Kupiec led all players with 24 kills, while David Allen and Michael Drews each had nine.
• Andrew Woltman recorded 29 set assists, and Kupiec had 24.
• Allen topped the defense with 17 digs.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• The Comets broke single-match school records for kills (45), attack percentage (.225), set assists (44) and assisted blocks (24).
• Two individuals set new single-match benchmarks – Robinson for assisted blocks (7) and Caamal for set assists (41). Robinson's seven total blocks equals the single-match record.

THE BASICS
Final Score: Robert Morris (Ill.) def. Olivet 25-13, 27-25, 25-17
Location: Keating Center; Chicago, Illinois.
Records: Olivet 2-7 overall, Robert Morris 15-6 overall

HOW IT HAPPENED

• In the first set, the Eagles scored the first four points and never looked back.
• After a 1-1 tie in the second set, Robert Morris put two straight points on the scoreboard. The Comets came back to tie the set at 3-3 and 4-4 before the Eagles scored four of the next five points to go up 8-5. Olivet closed the gap to one point, 12-11. Robert Morris extended its lead to four points five times, with the last time being 21-17. The Comets fought back and tied the set on four occasions 21-21, 22-22, 24-24 and 25-25. Two Eagle kills ended the set in their favor.
• Olivet led the third set 6-4. Robert Morrison scored three consecutive points for a 7-6 lead. The Comets responded with two straight points to re-gain the lead, 8-7. That would be Olivet's last lead, as the Eagles used another 3-0 run to take the lead for good.

FOR THE COMETS

• Robinson finished the match with eight of the Comets' 21 kills.
• DeWitt and Brock Pringle had four kills apiece.
• DeWitt topped the team with four blocks, one solo and three assisted.
• Caamal recorded 18 set assists.
• DeWitt, Robinson and Schallhorn each registered four digs.

FOR THE EAGLES

• The No. 8 ranked Eagles were led by Ryan Roycroft who had a double-double with 10 kills and 10 digs.
• Erin Lee was next with nine kills.
• Bobby Ying dished out 33 set assists.

UP NEXT

• Olivet resumes Midwest Collegiate Volleyball League play next week with three matches. The first is Wednesday night at The Cutler Event Center in Olivet against Dominican (Ill.) University, starting at 7 p.m. The Comets then travel to play Marian (Wis.) University Friday night at 8 p.m. ET, and Lakeland (Wis.) College Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. EST.