CRESSON, PA – The Wilkes University men's volleyball team opened the 2024 season in fine fashion as the Colonels swept a tri-match hosted by Mount Aloysius College on Saturday afternoon at the Athletic, Convocation, and Wellness Center. Wilkes first defeated Bard College 3-0 (25-21, 25-21, 25-22) and then Mount Aloysius 3-0 (25-20, 25-16, 25-19).

With the wins Wilkes begins the year with a 2-0 record while Mount Aloysius is 1-1 and Bard 0-2 following the day's action.

In the season's first match against Bard, Lucas Mages (Buffalo, NY/Iroquois Central) led the Colonels with 10 kills and tied for the team lead with three aces. Paul Binner (Tunkhannock, PA/Tunkhannock) added seven kills on eight attacks for a .875 hitting percentage and he tied L. Mages for the lead with three aces. Zach Shay (Bethlehem, PA/Freedom) led the offense with 24 assists.

Defensively Shay and Aidan Hunter (Sinking Spring, PA/Wilson), who was making his collegiate debut, tied for the team lead with seven digs. Hunter and Binner each had two blocks.

Wilkes hit .189 as a team compared to 0.77 for Bard.

In the second match against Mount Aloysius, L. Mages led the team again in kills, this time with 11. Binner, Hunter, and Noah Taylor (Lumberton, NJ/Rancocas Valley Regional) all added eight. Binner again had two aces. Shay had 35 assists in the match.

Hunter led Wilkes with 13 digs and Sam Winter (Whitehouse Station, NJ/Hunterdon Central) added 12. Jacob Mages (Buffalo, NY/Iroquois Central) led the Colonels with four blocks.

The Colonels used a strong .268 hitting percentage to defeat the Mounties who were held to a .065 mark.

The Wilkes men's volleyball team is back on the court at Widener University in Chester, Pa. on Thursday, January 25 for its third match of the season.