DALLAS, PA – The Wilkes University men's volleyball team opened its 2022 season on Friday evening with a pair of matches at the Cougar Kickoff Classic hosted by Misericordia University at the Anderson Sports Center. The Colonels lost the first match to the host Cougars 3-0 (25-18, 25-14, 28-26) and the nightcap 3-1 (21-25, 25-23, 18-25, 21-25) to Medaille College.

Wilkes was never able to take the lead in the first set of a non-conference match against Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) rival Misericordia (3-0) after being tied twice in the early going. The Colonels closed to within one at 14-13 following a 4-1 run that was highlighted by a Paul Binner (Tunkhannock, PA/Tunkhannock) block and a Noah Taylor (Lumberton, NJ/Rancocas Valley Regional) kill. Misericordia then closed the set on an 11-5 run to win 25-18.

The Colonels were tied three times with the Cougars early in the second set before a 12-1 run led the hosts to a 25-14 set victory to go up 2-0.

Wilkes took its first lead of the match at 4-3 in the third set following a block by Everett Fritz (Ringtown, PA/Hazleton Area). Neither team could create much separation until the Colonels went on a 5-0 run to take a 17-14 lead that saw an ace from Casey Shipman (Hershey, PA/Hershey), kills by Binner and Lucas Mages (Buffalo, NY/Iroquois Central), and a block by Zach Shay (Bethlehem, PA/Freedom) and Binner. Misericordia answered with a 5-0 run to go ahead 19-17 but Wilkes followed with the next five to take the lead back 22-19. Mages had two aces and Binner had a block in the run. The Cougars again answered with a 5-0 run to take a 24-22 lead but Wilkes hung tough, scoring the next three points to go up 25-24 following a Mages kill, Cougar error, and a Binner ace. Misericordia then scored four of the next five points to take the set 28-26 and the match 3-0.

Mages led Wilkes with six kills while adding six digs. Binner and three blocks while Shay collected 12 assists and seven digs.

In the second match Medaille (1-2) led through the early parts of the first set before a 6-1 run propelled Wilkes to a 13-12 lead. The Colonels would extend their run to take a 16-13 lead but the Mavericks ended the set on a 12-5 run to win 25-21.

The second set followed a similar script with the Colonels taking their first lead at 14-13 following a Mages block. Neither team led by more than one point from there until the very end when Wilkes scored points on a Fritz kill and an error by the Mavericks to take the set 25-23 and even the match at 1-1.

Wilkes led 5-3 following a Taylor ace in the third set but Medaille seven of the next eight points to take control on its way to a 25-18 victory to go back ahead in the match.

The Colonels controlled the first part of the fourth set leading by four points three different times. Medaille would take the lead at 14-12 but the Colonels battled back to a tie at 18-18 following back-to-back kills by Taylor and Fritz. The Mavericks would close strong with a 7-3 run though to take the set 25-21 and the match 3-1.

Fritz recorded a career high 11 kills and had a .320 hitting percentage to lead the Colonels. Shay had 17 assists and four digs and Mages added five kills and four digs.

Wilkes will close out action in the Cougar Kickoff Classic tomorrow facing Lancaster Bible College at 11:00 a.m. and Drew University at 1:00 p.m.