MEQUON, Wis. – Going up top talent just 30 minutes up the road at Concordia Wisconsin, the MSOE men's volleyball team went 1-2 at the CUW Invite, with a victory over Trine Saturday morning and losses to No. 10 UC-Santa Cruz and RV Mount Union.

RESULTS
MSOE RAIDERS – 0
No. 10 UC-Santa Cruz – 3

MSOE RAIDERS – 3
Trine – 1

MSOE RAIDERS – 1
RV Mount Union - 3

HOW IT HAPPENED

• vs. No. 10 UC-Santa Cruz
  • It was a back-and-forth battle early on to start tied at 4-4, but No. 10 UC-Santa Cruz (8-3) dominated to an 8-2 to run to put a strong lead in front of MSOE (2-4) midway through the first set. The Banana Slugs kept that lead through the end of the set, winning 25-17.
  • The Raiders defense was able to lock in at the start of the second set, not letting the Banana Slugs grow any lead at all. But down 22-20 late, the Banana Slugs turned the momentum around and went on a 4-0 run to get to set point and force a Raider timeout. An attack from Tommy Clausz tried to swing the momentum back to the side of the Raiders, but a service error gave the Banana Slugs the set, 25-23.
  • The defense again forced many errors to the Banana Slugs offense to help the Raiders establish 18-12 lead midway through the third set. With an 21-18 lead late, the Banana Slugs rattled off a 5-0 run to take the final set, 25-23.
• vs. Trine
  • The Trine (1-4) offense started hot with a 7-1 to start off the first. The Raiders slowly cut the deficit throughout the rest of the set, tying up the set at twenty and finishing on a 5-2 run to take the first set 25-23. It would go the opposite way in the second set as it was a tight battle through the midway point, until the Thunder finished on a 9-1 run to even it at one set each.
  • Many mental errors from the Thunder helped the Raiders open up the third set to a 13-9 lead midway through. Raiders kept a steady hold on that lead to take the set 25-18. The only lead the Thunder had in the fourth set was early while leading 6-5. Errors from the Thunder and an attack from James Zippay put the Raiders up 8-6, which was the margin they held to win the final set 25-23.
• vs. RV Mount Union
  • Neither side could a rhythm to start off the first, but while down 14-11, the Raiders took a 11-1 run to put a substantial lead on Mount Union (7-1), finishing off the set winning 25-18. The second set flipped completely around as the Purple Raiders made a dominant run of their own, winning 25-15.
  • It became a back-and-forth affair when the third set began. It wasn't until the Purple Raiders were leading 16-14 when were able grow their margin even more with a 4-0 run to eventually take the third set 25-19. In the fourth set while knotted up at 17, the Purple Raiders made a 5-1 run to finish out the match with a set four victory, 25-21.

WHO'S ON DECK
The Raiders will have their first game in the Kern Center this season on Wednesday, February 8^th when they play host to Illinois Tech at 7 PM.

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