CHESTER, PA – The Wilkes University men's volleyball team finished all three sets strong to sweep past Widener University (25-18, 25-19, 25-23) in Chester, Pa. Wednesday night to open Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) play. Mark Piotrowski (Milford, PA/Delaware Valley) led the Colonels with nine kills and a career-high 15 digs.

Wilkes improved to 5-4 overall and 1-0 in the MAC with the victory. Widener dropped to 0-3 overall and 0-2 in conference action.

The Pride led 7-5 in the opening set of the night but then the Colonels put together a 6-0 run to take control of the set. Cole Hefner (East Greenville, PA/Southern Lehigh) and Andrew Potter (Nazareth, PA/Nazareth) had kills during the run while Ethan Speicher (Midlothian, VA/Cosby) and Everett Fritz (Ringtown, PA/Hazleton Area) combined for a block. Wilkes was able to keep Widener at a distance from that point forward and finished the first-set victory at 25-18 on a service ace by Potter.

The second set saw four lead changes early on but it was the Pride that found themselves ahead 17-15. Then Speicher had a block and a kill and Daniel Sales (Laflin, PA/James M. Coughlin) added another kill during a key five-point run to gain a 20-17 advantage. After Widener scored the next two points, Wilkes scored the following five to take the set 25-19. Speicher came up large in the run to capture the set as the freshman had two kills and combined with Sales for a block. Piotrowski put away the final point of the set with a kill.

In a tight third set it was the home team that looked poised to win its first set of the match after it used six-straight points to take a 22-17 lead. The Colonels had other ideas as they won eight of the next nine points to complete the 3-0 sweep with a 25-23 victory. The closing rally started with an attack error by the Pride and Hefner followed with a kill to force a Widener timeout. Another attack error by Widener was followed by two kills off the hand of Potter as the Colonels tied the score at 22. Widener regained the lead on a
Wilkes service error but Potter tied things back up with another kill. Wilkes took the lead on an attack error by the Pride and following a timeout by Widener, Hefner served an ace to end the match.

Potter finished the match with seven total kills and a season-high eight digs. Speicher also had seven kills while hitting a match-high .455 and added five blocks. Fritz added career-highs with four kills and three blocks. Sales directed the offense with 26 assists while JD Kirby (Eastport, NY/Eastport-South Manor) and Kyle Price (Mountaintop, PA/Crestwood) each had seven digs.

The Colonels continue MAC play on Saturday with two tough tests during a road tri-match. Wilkes will face the nationally-ranked hosts in No. 4 Stevenson University at 12:00 p.m. and follow that match up with Arcadia University, a team receiving votes in the AVCA National Poll, at 2:00 p.m.