Box Score
Davenport, Iowa - The Cardinal Stritch University Wolves men’s volleyball team continued their post-season play with a disappointing loss to the St. Ambrose University Fighting Bees in five sets by the scores of 30-27, 30-27, 24-30, 23-30, 13-15.
Despite starting the first set with two missed serves, the Wolves were able to generate an early 5-2 lead after a huge block kill by Matt Tauaese (Ponoma, Calif.) and Fernando Bernal (Miami, Fla.). Two attack errors by the Wolves brought St. Ambrose back into the game where they would remain until Stritch made a four point run at 19-19. Solid serving and two great digs by Bernal provided the Wolves with a momentum swing. Stritch held on to that momentum throughout the rest of the set, and pushed hard to finish the crucial first game. A short run of points by the Fighting Bees would not be enough as the Wolves were victorious by the score of 30-27.
The second set proved how evenly matched the Wolves and the Fighting Bees really were as neither team could pull away throughout most of the match. Missed serves from the Wolves prevented gains in momentum and points, and the Fighting Bees’ inability to get past the big block of the Wolves were the reasons for the tightly contested match. A short run of points by Stritch at the score of 15-15 would end up being the turning point in the set that allowed for the Wolves to win. Garrett Payne (San Diego, Calif.) helped the Wolves’ fight as his timely tips from the setting position kept St. Ambrose off-guard, resulting in significant points and a set two victory by the score of 30-27.
The Fighting Bees stormed back in the third and fourth sets with renewed energy that they acquired from a couple of large runs made at the beginning of the third set. The home court crowd also got more involved and helped the Fighting Bees’ cause as their offense finally broke through the defense of Cardinal Stritch. The Wolves tried to keep the score close until they were able to put together a run of points, but St. Ambrose simply executed too well. Missed serves hurt the Wolves in both games as they fell in the third set by the score of 24-30, and the fourth set by the score of 23-30.
The fifth and final set was a highly emotional one as both teams fought to earn the number one seed in their pool. The Wolves were able to reach eight points first as the two teams switched sides of the court. However, Stritch was unable to hold on to the lead as the Fighting Bees made a three point run soon after. The Wolves were unable overcome the deficit in the shortened set to 15 points, as they lost by the score 13-15.
The match loss was an extremely significant one as it gave the Wolves the number two seed in their pool. This means the Wolves will have to face the overall number one seed, California Baptist, in the semi finals at 4:00 p.m. on Friday evening.