CHESTER, PA – The Wilkes University men's volleyball team split its Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) tri-match to close out the 2019 season on Saturday. The Colonels defeated the hosts Widener University 3-1 (25-23, 25-15, 28-30, 25-11) in their final match of the year to earn a split on the day following a 3-0 loss (15-25, 17-25, 17-25) to Alvernia University.

The final victory earned Wilkes its 10th win. It is the first time in the three seasons of competition that the program has reach double-digit wins. Wilkes finishes the 2019 season at 10-16 overall and 4-10 in the MAC.

The second match of the day against Widener fell in the favor of the Colonels as they dominated at the net and the service line. Wilkes led 16-4 in blocks and 12-6 in service aces.

A tight first set turned in the favor of Wilkes late. The Pride led 21-20 but a kill by Jones Mensah (Philadelphia, PA/Central) and an ace from Cole Hefner (East Greenville, PA/Southern Lehigh) gave Wilkes a one-point lead. Mensah put Wilkes back up 23-22 but a service error allowed Widener to tie the score. Another Mensah kill brought the Colonels to set point which they would win on a Widener attack error. The 25-23 victory put Wilkes up 1-0.

A four-point run by Wilkes pushed the visitors ahead 12-6 in the second set. The first three points came on a Mensah kill, Mensah ace and Ethan Speicher (Midlothian, VA/Cosby) kill. Following four consecutive Widener errors the Colonels led 23-13 and Andrew Potter (Nazareth, PA/Nazareth) would close out the second set at 25-15 with a kill as Wilkes took at 2-0 lead in the match.

Wilkes trailed 19-10 in the third set as Widener fought to get back into the match but then the Colonels went on a 14-5 run to tie the score at 24-24. Each team would save two set points before the Pride were able to finish off the third set at 30-28 and pulled back into the match down 2-1.

An early four-point run led by a Brian Vu (Wantagh, NY/MacArthur) kill and a block by Hefner and Vu set the tone for the fourth set in favor of Wilkes as the Colonels went ahead 6-2. The Colonels lead stood at 17-11 before they went on an 8-0 run to close out the match. Potter served two aces including on match point as Wilkes took set four 25-11 and the match 3-1.

Mensah finished with 17 kills, one shy of his career-high, while adding a career-best six digs. Hefner was huge at the net with a career-high nine blocks as he also added six kills. Potter finished with seven kills and a career-high five aces. JD Kirby (Eastport, NY/Eastport-South Manor) directed the offense with a career-best 26 assists while also leading the team with nine digs. Vu recorded his career-high with five blocks while adding six digs and Speicher finished with six blocks.

Wil Cacciatore finished with 11 kills and 10 digs to lead Widener who dropped to 3-17 overall and 0-14 in the conference.

The day's first match against Alvernia did not go the Colonels way. A six-point run by the Golden Wolves put them ahead 11-4 in the first set. Wilkes would cut the deficit to 14-12 following an Everett Fritz (Ringtown, PA/Hazleton Area) and Hefner block but Alvernia went on an 11-3 run to win 25-15.

Wilkes had to fight from behind in the second set as Alvernia took a 5-1 lead. The Colonels were able to do that by taking a 10-9 lead following two consecutive Hefner kills. The Golden Wolves answered with the next three points and didn't look back as they went onto win set two 25-17 to take a 2-0 lead.

The Golden Wolves went a three-point run to open a 15-12 lead in set three which they extended to a 25-17 victory to complete the sweep. Alvernia finished its season at 12-17 overall and 6-8 in the MAC.

Mensah led the offense with nine kills. Speicher was the defensive leader with four blocks and five digs. Kirby finished with 16 assists.