WILKES-BARRE – The Wilkes University Colonels continued their end of season stretch with a Senior Night home match against Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) foe Eastern.  The match served as the home finale for the 2021 men's volleyball season.
 
The Colonels (0-11) struggled against the Eagles (3-11) and fell to their conference foe in straight sets 14-25, 16-25, 18-25 to conclude their home slate. 
 
The Colonels hung around early in the first set, before an 8-2 Eastern run put the set essentially out of reach for the Navy and Gold.  In the second set, Wilkes kept pace with the Eagles.  While a 5-1 run by Eastern gave them a 14-9 advantage, the Colonels responded with a 4-1 run to cut the lead to two.  The Eagles would eventually pull away with a 6-1 run to put the set out of reach.
 
The Navy and Gold clung to a one point lead for most of the early third set, but Eastern found an 8-2 run to give themselves room to breathe in the set.  The Colonels never came closer than three points in the remainder of the set to drop the match to the Eagles.
 
Sophomore setter Casey Shipman (Hershey, PA/Hershey) recorded a double-double, first of his career, with 17 assists and 10 digs.  Seniors Andrew Potter (Nazareth, PA/Nazareth) and Joseph Gayton (Wilkes-Barre, PA/James M. Coughlin) each had seven digs on the night for the Colonels in their final home match.  Foster Lobb recorded 14 kills for the Eagles, while Justin Flor had 24 assists and nine digs in the victory.
 
The Colonels conclude their 2021 regular season with a doubleheader at Messiah this Saturday.  First serve is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. at Grantham, Pa.