GROVE CITY, Pa. -- The Mount Aloysius men's volleyball program picked up two losses this Saturday, Jan 25, losing in straight sets to Grove City (1-4, 0-0 PAC) before coming up short in a five-set finish to Olivet (1-2, 0-0 MCVL). Setter Evan Schmidt (Loganville, Pa. , Dallastown Area) would record 67 assists across the two games. 

Game 1 (Grove City)

Both teams would open the first cautiously, with the Mounties committing key errors to give the Wolverines an early 10-7 lead. Grove City would waste no time with this lead, earning 6 kills while winning 11 of the next 15 points to take a commanding lead. The Mounties would put up a fight, but three attack errors from the Mounties would end the first in the Wolverines' favor, 25-14. 

The second set would see Grove City again carve out a lead, going up 19-12 behind strong serving. However, the Mounties would respond with renewed focus, as Tayshaun Johnson (Uniondale, N.Y., Uniondale) and Zach Rosenwald (Pittsburgh, Pa., Shaler) would combine on serve to take seven-of-eight points late, battling back to even the set at 24-all. Strong presence up front from the Wolverines would stymie the comeback attempt, with Grove City taking the set 26-24 after a kill and a block. 

Facing a 2-0 set deficit, the Mounties would find themselves seemingly repeating sets, down 19-13 in the third. While the visitors would prevent Grove City from mounting a continuous offensive attack, the Wolverines would still earn the set and the victory, overcoming Mount Aloysius 17-25 in the third. 

Game 2 (Olivet)

Coming together after the Grove City defeat, the Mounties would make the most of early Olivet errors, taking a 23-19 lead into the final points of the set. Senior Matthew Franz (Johnstown, Ohio, Bishop Hartley) would seal the first for the Mounties, with Schmidt assisting on two kills to give Mount Aloysius the set 25-19. 

The Mounties would build on the first set momentum, earning a 18-12 lead as the Comets struggled with attack errors. Although Olivet would shore up their misses deep into the second, it would be too little too late for the set, with the Mounties going up 2-0 with a 25-21 win. 

The third would see the Mounties' fortunes shift, with Olivet improving their attack percentage by more than 30%, snatching away the third 25-16. This strong hitting would continue for the Comets in the fourth, as Olivet would force a fifth set behind a yet-again improved attack percentage, despite the Mounties also improving to .286 in the set. 

The 21-25 fourth set would set up a back-and-forth deciding fifth. Facing an early 3-7 separation, the Mounties would record five kills to fight their way back into the set at 8-9. Despite the mini-comeback, the Comets would be undenied, defeating the Mounties 12-15 in the fifth behind two final kills. 

Up Next

The Mountie men return to action next Saturday, Feb 1, for a home game against Chatham University. The Cougars enter the contest 1-4 this season, coming off 2-3 loss to the Hilbert Hawks.