WILKES-BARRE -- The Wilkes University Colonels men's volleyball squad hosted Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) foe Misericordia for a Wednesday night match at the Marts Center.
 
The Colonels (0-5, 0-5 MAC) claimed the third set over the Cougars (3-4, 3-4) but struggled in the first and fourth sets to drop the match 3-1 (25-17, 25-18, 18-25, 25-17).
 
After a Misericordia-dominated first set, the Colonels managed to find their footing in the second. After assisting in a kill, sophomore setter Zach Shay (Bethlehem, PA/Freedom) helped spark a 7-1 run with a pair of aces to take an 8-4 lead in the set.  The Colonels and Cougars bounced around points and serves between them until Tyler Mallozzi took up the serve for Misericordia.  Between him and Caleb Bauder serving, the Cougars took the set off of a 13-3 run.
 
Junior middle hitter Ethan Speicher (Midlothian, VA/Cosby) sparked an early 7-3 lead for the Colonels in the third set with help from first year outside hitter Noah Taylor (Lumbertown, NJ/Rancocas Valley Regional).  The Navy and Gold kept the Cougars at arm's length through the middle going of the set, taking a 20-12 lead off of an 8-3 run.  The Cougars clawed back into the set with a 4-0 run, but the Colonels closed out the set with a 5-2 run of their own to claim the set victory.
 
Misericordia took early command of the fourth set and led by as much as 18-7 to close the evening with a victory.
 
Sophomore outside hitter Zach Evans (Nescopeck, PA/Berwick) led the Colonels with 12 kills.  Three Colonels had two aces each, which Shay had 30 assists for the Colonels.  Taylor led the squad with 10 digs.
 
Mallozi had five aces to lead the Cougars, with Conner Westerfield posting a team-leading 18 digs.
 
The Colonels return to action this Saturday on the road to face Arcadia University.  The two matches are set to start at 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. for the doubleheader.