Men’s volleyball team loses to St. Norbert and Trine

OLIVET, Mich. – Playing in front of its home fans for the first time this season, the Olivet College men's volleyball team lost two matches today inside the Cutler Event Center. The Comets fell to St. Norbert (Wis.) College in four sets and Trine (Ind.) University in three sets.

• Final Score: St. Norbert defeated Olivet 25-22, 23-25, 25-23, 25-24
• Location: Cutler Event Center; Olivet, Michigan
• Records: Olivet 4-6 overall, St. Norbert 3-6 overall

• After Olivet 8-6 led in the first set, the Green Knights went on a 6-0 run to go up 12-8. St. Norbert maintained its advantage for the rest of the set.
• The early stage of the second set was back-and-forth with eight tied scores. The Comets were up 15-13 before three straight St. Norbert points made the score 16-15. Olivet answered with a 4-0 spurt and did not trail for the rest of the set.
• In the third set, the Comets had the lead until the Green Knights came back to level the score at 18-18, 19-19 and 20-20. St. Norbert seized a 24-21 lead before two Olivet points closed the gap to one point. A Green Knight kill ended the set in their favor.
• The Comets raced out to a 6-1 lead in the fourth set. Olivet extended its lead to eight points, 18-10, and kept the lead until St. Norbert tied the score at 22-22 and 23-23. The Comets scored the next point before three straight Olivet errors gave the set and match to the Green Knights.
• Olivet finished the match with 54 kills compared to 47 for St. Norbert. The difference in the match was the Green Knights had seven less attack errors and four fewer service errors.

• Junior Kai Hartman and sophomore Ethan Valente each had 12 kills.
• Sophomore Quinn Dickerson and junior Deontay Thomas tallied 11 kills apiece.
• Junior Everett Haynes recorded a team-best 46 set assists and 10 digs.
• The Comets' 54 kills ties for the sixth-most in school history for a match.

• Kaden Kornaus led all players with 17 kills.
• Michael Whitney dished out 39 set assists.
• Boston Peck and Owen Knezevich each had 10 digs.

• Final Score: Trine defeated Olivet 25-21, 25-10, 25-20
• Location: Cutler Event Center; Olivet, Michigan
• Records: Olivet 4-7 overall, Trine 3-8 overall

• Olivet led 4-3 in the first set before the Thunder scored the next two points. Trine did not trail for the rest of the set.
• The Thunder had a wire-to-wire lead in the second set.
• In the third set, Olivet went ahead 3-1. Trine responded with a 4-0 run to go up 5-3. The Comets fought back and cut their deficit down to one point on five occasions but never any closer.

• Thomas recorded nine of the 21 Olivet kills.
• Haynes tallied 17 set assists and nine digs.

• Kevin Boncaro finished with 10 kills and six service aces.
• Sam Bhandal notched a match-best 20 digs.
• Boncaro and Hunter Haas registered five digs apiece.

• The Comets open Midwest Collegiate Volleyball League play Friday, March 3, when they host University of Mount Union (Ohio) at 7 p.m.