FORT WAYNE, Ind. – The No. 7-ranked Indiana Tech men's volleyball team notched a pair of wins over the weekend at the Schaefer Center over the No. 8- ranked Saint Xavier University and Cornerstone University.
Friday | Indiana Tech 3, St. Xavier 0 (25-19, 26-24, 25-21)
Daynte Stewart had 15 kills on the night while
Dante Siracusa added 11.
Brandon Jones did a little bit of everything, picking up a game high 31 assists, four digs and three blocks.
Joey Hermes added a game high 13 digs while
Raekwon Rogers led the block category with four and
Mason Milan led the way with five aces.
All three sets seemed to be similar as the Cougars jumped out to take the lead in each. Tech saw themselves down 5-2 to start, but after three straight points, things were even at five. The two teams traded points for a while until the Warriors gained their largest lead of the set at 23-18. Saint Xavier answered back with a point of their own before the hosts finished things off to take set one.
The Warriors saw themselves down yet again but after an 10-4 surge, the hosts took the 13-9 lead. Once Tech took their lead, the visitors tied things up and the two teams traded points back and forth. Things were all even at 23 a piece before the Cougars took the game point advantage. The Orange and black did not back down and went on to take the next three points behind the efforts of two Stewart kills with a block by Rogers and Milan.
Set three proved to be another close one while both teams went point for point a majority of the set. The Warriors gained a 19-12 lead, but a five-point run by the guests cut the lead back to two points. The next eight points went back and forth but the Stewart showed his heroics again and the Warriors got the next two points to take the set and win the match.
Saturday | Indiana Tech 3, Cornerstone 2 (28-26, 25-13, 22-25, 18-25, 15-11)
Saturday afternoon was a battle in the Schaefer Center as there were 17 lead changes and 28 ties throughout the contest.
The Warriors were led behind the efforts of
Chandler Davis who had a game high 60 assists, which marks a career high for the redshirt junior.
Dante Siracusa led the way in kills with 19 while
Joey Hermes added 25 digs and
Mason Milan had three aces and a block.
Set one was a battle between the two teams with each team going on a scoring run before it would be stopped by the other. Things were tied up at 17 and a kill by
Daynte Stewart gave the Warriors the lead. However, a 5-2 run by the Golden Eagles gave the visitors the 22-19 advantage. Tech did not back down as they scored three straight to tie things up yet again. The two teams went point for point until the hosts held off their opponent with two kills by Siracusa and one by Stewart. The Warriors dominated the second set after jumping out to an early 15-4 lead. Cornerstone was held to only nine more points in the set while Tech had 15 kills on .522 hitting percentage compared to the visitors .000.
Set three and four went back to the point for point style of play, but this time around was the Golden Eagles who held off the Warriors to take both. In each set, Cornerstone had the late lead and Tech managed to fight their way back each time, but the visitors were able to hold off the attempted comebacks.
The Warriors got back to their dominant performance in the final set, taking the 7-2 lead out the gate. The Golden Eagles fought their way back and stayed within reach to cut the lead back down to 10-9. Tech answered back with a
Mario Capo kill and ace to turn the momentum back to the Warrior's side of the net which proved to be the difference maker as the Orange and Black took the fifth set and the match.
Indiana Tech (24-1, WHAC 11-1) is back in action March 23 at the Schaefer Center as they battle the Gray Wolves of Lourdes University at 7 p.m.
