SOUTHFIELD, Mich. - The men's volleyball team doubled the number of blocks as their opponent on Saturday evening and won their first set of the year. Lawrence Tech won the match in four sets and improved to 2-0 in this young season.
Down two in the first set, Goshen capitalized on an attack error followed by a kill from
Leo Minetto to tie things up at seven. The Blue Devils scored 14 of the following 21 points to go up 21-14. The Leafs rallied back to make it close, but Lawrence Tech pulled through to win the first set 25-22.
The second set got off to a rough start for Goshen, as LTU quickly went up 6-1, resulting in interim head coach Jewel Lehman calling a timeout. Lawrence Tech scored the next point, but then the Leafs got in a groove. Down 12-7, Goshen went on a 13-1 run to go up 20-13.
Ishmail Bangura had a couple of kills early in the run to get the momentum going, and so did a block by
Christian Rodriguez,
Leo Minetto, and Bangura. Rodriguez had two aces later in the rally, leading to a 25-19 set win.
Lawrence Tech had five kills and seven errors in the second set, but they turned the ship in the third with ten kills and two errors. They had a hitting percentage of -.077 in the second but .400 in the third as they won the set 25-14.
Goshen had a slim edge for most of the fourth set, leading 21-18 late. But after an LTU ace and some Goshen miscues, the Blue Devils led 23-21, and GC called a timeout. The Leafs tied the game at 24 with some great plays, but LTU scored the final two points to win 26-24.
Goshen had ten blocks, compared to five for the host. Rodriguez and Bangura were a part of five blocks each, Minetto with four block assists and Bennett with three and a solo block. Bangura totaled 12 kills and ten errors.
Andy Bennett had nine kills and a .368 hitting percentage.
Wyatt Bollinger contributed 32 assists.
The Maple Leafs look for their first win of the season on Friday, February 3, against Saint Mary-of-the-Woods at 7:00 pm. SMWC is a first-year member of the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference for men's volleyball. The Leafs will play them again the next day at home as well - Saturday, February 4, at 1:00 pm.
