OWINGS MILLS, Md. - The Arcadia University men's volleyball program split its doubleheader at 15th-ranked Stevenson Saturday in what started a pivotal stretch run to the end of the regular season for the Knights, downing the Mustangs in the opener in straight sets before falling in the final match of the day, 3-1.
Quinn Baily posted 31 kills between the two matches while
Collin Nissley produced 27 of his own on the afternoon to lead the Knights.
Kevin Abraham logged nine blocks in the doubleheader - including five in the opening match - while
Ryan Miller had a match-high six blocks in the opener.
Anthony Devantier had 35 assists in each match, marking his third-highest single-match total this season.
ARCADIA 3, #15 STEVENSON 0
HOW IT HAPPENED
-The opening set of Saturday's doubleheader was tightly-contested as neither side was able to take a clear advantage. With the Knights leading 17-14 following a Baily kill, Stevenson rallied for four-straight points to regain a one-point lead, but Arcadia battled back to draw even at 21 on the strength of three more Baily kills and one from Nissley. A Stevenson error and an
Owen Heft kill put the Knights up 23-21 before another Nissley kill and Mustang error clinched the 25-22 victory.
-The second set had much of the same feel as the opener with the Knights and Mustangs trading points in the early going. As the score reached a 20-all tie in the latter stages, the Knights ripped off three-straight points on a Nissley kill and a pair of Mustang errors, but Stevenson matched the Arcadia run to draw even at 23. A Mustang service error positioned Arcadia with the match-point advantage and were able to take the second set, 25-23, on an attacking error.
-The Knights continued to battle in the third set looking for the sweep in the opener and did so by racing out to a five-point lead at 16-11 with a kill from Nissley and a Baily ace. Stevenson battled back to get within a point at 22-21, but Nissley and Baily put the match away with consecutive kills to cap off the third set victory, 25-22.
KNIGHT LEADERS
-Kills: Baily 14, Nissley 10, Miller 6
-Aces: Baily/Gonzalez
-Blocks: Miller 6, Nissley/K. Abraham 5
-Assists: Devantier 35
-Digs: Baily 7, Gonzalez 3
ARCADIA 1, #15 STEVENSON 3
HOW IT HAPPENED
-Stevenson aimed to avenge the opening match loss by jumping out to an eight-point lead in the middle stages of the first set. The Knights clawed their way back to get within three after a trio of Stevenson errors, but the Mustangs won seven of the set's final ten points to take the opening set, 25-18.
-The Knights held a one-point lead, 14-13, in the second set before taking off on a 7-2 run powered by a
Kevin Abraham block and kill to give Arcadia a six-point lead. Nissley logged a pair of kills to go along with another from
Dylan Zimmerman to even the match at one-all with a 25-20 victory in the second set.
-Despite Stevenson taking the first six points of the third set and leading by as many as eight, the Knights never backed down and found themselves within two at 23-21 with the match advantage on the line. A Mustang error and Nissley kill got Arcadia within one, 24-23, but Stevenson clinched the third set with a kill to jump ahead in the match, 2-1.
-An early 6-0 Arcadia run featuring kills from Miller, Heft, and
Vaughn McConnell gave the Knights some life in the early stages of the fourth set, but after the Mustangs were able to draw even at 18, they never trailed the rest of the way en route to the match-clinching, 25-21 fourth-set win.
KNIGHT LEADERS
-Kills: Baily/Nissley 17
-Aces: Devantier/Gonzalez 2
-Blocks: K. Abraham 4
-Assists: Devantier 35, McConnell 11
-Digs: Knotts/Gonzalez 11
UP NEXT
Arcadia (9-3) hosts Wilkes Monday at 7 p.m. to begin its final week of the regular season.
