MADISON, N.J. – The Arcadia University men's volleyball team competed in a tri-match at Drew University on Sunday afternoon against New Jersey City University (NJCU) and the host Rangers. The Knights (4-5) earned two five-set victories on the day.

Arcadia defeated NJCU by scores of 25-21, 13-25, 21-25, 25-21, 15-7. Tucker Curtis led all players with 18 kills, Riley Kodidek totaled 50 assists and two aces, Luka Erickson recorded five blocks, and Cameron Birch added 24 digs.

In the nightcap against Drew, Arcadia secured another five-set thriller, 20-25, 32-30, 15-25, 30-28, 15-8. Josh Clendening led with 12 kills, Jayden Wacaster and Aidan Mackowiak each had two aces, Clendening and Reece Dodd posted five blocks apiece, Kodidek finished with 43 assists, and Birch recorded 17 digs.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Set One – Arcadia 25, NJCU 21

• After Arcadia took a 1-0 lead, NJCU responded with a 6-2 run to go ahead 6-3. Trailing 7-4, the Knights answered with a 5-0 run behind kills from Jayden Wacaster, Tucker Curtis, Josh Clendening, and Reece Dodd, along with a block from Riley Kodidek.
• Curtis added three consecutive kills, combined with back-to-back NJCU errors, to give Arcadia a 14-12 lead.
• With the Knights leading 19-18, kills from Clendening and Curtis, along with a block from Luka Erickson, helped close out the set, 25-21.

Set Two – NJCU 25, Arcadia 13

• In the second set, 11 of Arcadia's 13 points came on kills and blocks by the Knights. Erickson, Wacaster, Dodd, Curtis, and Clendening contributed offensively, while Clendening and Dodd, and Kodidek and Erickson combined for block assists.
• NJCU used extended runs to even the match at one set apiece.

Set Three – NJCU 25, Arcadia 21

• Arcadia jumped out to a 7-2 lead with kills from Erickson, Curtis, and Wacaster, along with a block by Erickson.
• NJCU chipped away at the deficit and cut the lead to 9-8.
• The teams traded points through the middle of the set, with the Knights extending their lead to 19-16 before NJCU tied it at 19-19 on a 3-0 run.
• An NJCU service error halted the run, but the Gothic Knights regained momentum and closed the set 25-21 to take a 2-1 match lead.

Set Four – Arcadia 25, NJCU 21

• NJCU took an early 4-2 lead before two kills from Erickson sparked a 3-0 run to put Arcadia ahead 5-4.
• Kills from Dodd, Curtis, and Wacaster, along with a block from Erickson, made it 11-9 in favor of the Knights.
• Trailing 19-18, Arcadia capitalized on NJCU errors during a 5-0 run, capped by back-to-back aces from Kodidek, to take a 23-19 lead.
• Erickson recorded the final two kills to even the match at two sets apiece.

Set Five – Arcadia 15, NJCU 7

• Kills from Curtis, Clendening, Erickson, and Dodd gave the Knights an early 7-4 advantage.
• A 3-0 run, highlighted by kills from Dodd and Curtis and a block assist by Kodidek and Dodd, extended the lead to 10-5.
• Arcadia closed the match on a 4-0 run, including two additional kills from Clendening, to secure the 15-7 win.

KNIGHT LEADERS

Kills: Curtis (18), Erickson (14), Dodd (12)
Aces: Kodidek (2), Clendening (1)
Blocks: Erickson (5), Dodd (4), Kodidek (3)
Assists: Kodidek (50), Birch (5), Wacaster (1)
Digs: Birch (24), Kodidek (15), Clendening (14)

HOW IT HAPPENED

Set One – Drew 25, Arcadia 20

• Drew jumped out to a 6-2 lead and later held an 8-4 advantage before a 4-0 run by Arcadia tied the set at 8-8 behind kills from Dodd and Mackowiak and an ace from Mackowiak.
• Kills from Curtis, Clendening, and Kodidek kept the Knights within reach at 20-18.
• Despite capitalizing on two Drew miscues late, the Rangers secured the opening set, 25-20.

Set Two – Arcadia 32, Drew 30

• The Knights started quickly with a 6-3 lead, fueled by kills from Clendening and Erickson.
• A 6-1 run extended the lead to 13-8, highlighted by kills from Curtis, Clendening, and Kodidek, along with an ace from Mackowiak.
• Drew responded with a 4-0 run to make it a one-point set.
• After multiple ties and extended play, Clendening recorded a kill and a block to give Arcadia the 32-30 win.

Set Three – Drew 25, Arcadia 15

• Drew built an early 6-2 lead before Arcadia responded with a 4-0 run to tie the set at 6-6.
• Despite kills from Erickson, Dodd, Curtis, Wacaster, and Kodidek, Drew closed on a 12-5 run to take the third set.

Set Four – Arcadia 30, Drew 28

• Kills from Curtis, Erickson, and Wacaster tied the set at 4-4. Clendening and Dodd combined for a block assist, and Dodd added a kill to keep the set even early.
• Trailing 13-11, the Knights went on a 3-0 run behind two Dodd kills and a block assist from Dodd and Kodidek to take their first lead.
• After trading runs, Arcadia regained momentum late with kills from Wacaster, Dodd, and Erickson to secure the 30-28 win and force a fifth set.

Set Five – Arcadia 15, Drew 8

• Arcadia opened with a 3-0 lead, and a pair of Wacaster kills made it 6-2.
• A 5-0 run extended the lead to 12-5.
• Despite a brief Drew rally, the Knights closed the match on a 3-0 run, highlighted by Curtis' final kill and a block from Kodidek.

KNIGHT LEADERS

Kills: Clendening (12), Curtis (11), Dodd (10)
Aces: Wacaster (2), Mackowiak (2), Kodidek (1)
Blocks: Clendening (5), Dodd (5), Erickson (3)
Assists: Kodidek (43), Birch (2), Clendening (1)
Digs: Birch (17), Kodidek (14), Clendening (13)

UP NEXT

The Knights return home Tuesday to host Gallaudet University at the Kuch Center. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m.

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