Men’s volleyball team drops four-set match at Lawrence Tech

SOUTHFIELD, Mich. – The Olivet College men's volleyball team dropped a match to Lawrence Technological Institute in four sets (25-18, 23-25, 25-16, 25-23) this evening at the Don Ridler Field House in Southfield.

Final Score: Lawrence Tech def. Olivet 25-18, 23-25, 25-16, 25-23
Location: Don Ridler Field House; Southfield, Mich.
Records: Olivet 0-8 overall, Lawrence Tech 8-7 overall

• The Blue Devils had a wire-to-wire lead in the first set.
• In the second set, Lawrence Tech raced out to a 6-2 lead. The Comets used a 4-0 run to level the score. The teams traded points to create a 10-10 score. Behind the service of junior Deivan Prince went on a 7-0 scoring spurt to go ahead 17-10. The Blue Devils chipped away at their deficit and eventually evened the score at 21-21. The Comets put three of the next five points on the scoreboard to make the score 24-23. A kill by junior Brock Pringle ended the set.
• Olivet held a 5-3 lead early in the third set. Lawrence Tech answered with a 6-0 run to go up 9-5. The Blue Devils did not relinquish their advantage for the remainder of the set.
• Lawrence Tech held the lead in the fourth set until the Comets came back for their first lead 9-8. The Blue Devils responded with a 3-0 run for an 11-9 lead. Olivet answered with its own 3-0 run to take the lead back. Lawrence Tech scored four of the next five points to re-gain the lead 15-13.
• The Comets would go back on top 18-17 before the Blue Devils used a 5-1 run to surge ahead 22-19. A service error followed by two Pringle kills evened the score at 22-22. A Lawrence Tech kill and an Olivet kill by junior Aaron Giorgi leveled the score. A ball-handling error and kill for the Blue Devils ended the set and match in their favor.

• Olivet had 44 kills compared to 40 for Lawrence Tech. The difference in the match was the Blue Devils had 12 less attack errors, 31 to 19, and four less service errors, 13 to 9.
• Pringle led all players with 16 kills.
• Giorgi finished with a double-double, 10 kills and match-best 12 digs. He also served three aces.
• Prince had eight kills.
• Freshman Jacob Kelly dished out 34 set assists.
• Sophomore Tanner Gardenour collected 11 digs.

• Calvin Ooms recorded 14 kills and 10 digs.
• Lawrence Patton tallied 12 kills.
• Gospel Sua had 29 set assists.
• Joseph Balanda notched 10 assisted blocks.

• Olivet is off until Wednesday, Feb. 20, when Lawrence Tech visits the Cutler Event Center in Olivet for a 7 p.m. match.