Box Score
Fullerton, Calif. - The Cardinal Stritch University Wolves were unable to capture a match win over the No. 2 Hope International Royals as the No. 3 Wolves fall in four games 28-30, 30-21, 27-30, 24-30.
The Wolves’ success on the offensive side of the ball led to early leads in all four sets of the match. However, 22 service errors and only two aces by the Wolves compared to nine errors and five aces by the Royals gave Hope International a distinct advantage in gaining momentum and scoring free points.
The Wolves would end up losing the lead in every set except the second, forcing them to play under greater pressure for most of the match. Once the lead was lost, the Royals’ consistent execution on the offense and defense prevented the Wolves from mounting any sort of comeback to regain control of the sets.
Junior middle blocker Scott Golden (Vernon Hills, Ill.) led the Wolves’ offense with 20 kills and two errors on 31 attempts.
Junior hitter Vladimir Frenc (Belgrade, Serbia) put down 18 kills on 41 attempts, and dug up 16 balls to lead the team in digs. Helping Frenc on defense was senior middle blocker Fernando Bernal (Miami, Fla.), who led the team in blocks with six.
Senior outside hitter Matt Tauaese (Ponoma, Calif.) finished the night with an impressive .333 hitting percentage from his nine kills and only two attack errors.
Senior setter Garrett Payne (San Diego, Calif.) dished out 62 assists, contributing to the 69 total team kills.
The Wolves will be looking to finish the road trip on a good note as they face Hope International on Saturday at 4 p.m. for their final match in California.