MADISON, NJ – The Wilkes University men's volleyball team fell in straight sets at host Drew University Wednesday night. Drew captured the match 3-0 by scores of 25-23, 25-18 and 25-17.
 
Wilkes dropped to 12-4 overall while Drew improved to 8-10 on the season.
 
Wilkes jumped out to a 7-2 lead in the first set thanks to a kill from Jacob Mages (Buffalo, NY/Iroquois Central) and two from Jackson Shafer (Milford, PA/Delaware Valley). Drew slowly clawed back into the set using a 10-5 run to tie the set at twelve after a Ranger kill. The teams traded points over the next ten side outs as neither took more than a one point advantage through the rest of the set until the final deciding points. Tied at 23, Drew used a kill and service ace to finish off the win taking the first set 25-23.
 
Drew continue its momentum into set two taking a 6-2 lead early thanks to two of the nine service aces for the Rangers in the match. Wilkes battled back thanks to the hot swinging of Noah Taylor (Lumberton, NJ/Rancocas Valley Regional) and Paul Binner (Tunkhannock, PA/Tunkhannock) who combined for three kills in a stretch that saw the Colonels tie the match at 11 before taking the lead one side out later. Drew went back to the offensive taking back the advantage at 20-15 before coasting to a 25-18 victory to go up two sets to none.
 
The Rangers finished off the three-set victory with a 25-17 decision in the third set swinging for ten kills and a .381 hitting percentage.
 
Shafer led the Wilkes attack with a match-high nine kills and five digs. Taylor and Lucas Mages (Buffalo, NY/Iroquois Central) each tallied five kills and combined for seven digs. Zach Shay (Bethlehem, PA/Freedom) led the passing game with 21 assists and a team-high 10 digs.  
 
Wilkes returns to action tomorrow hosting Wilson College at 7:00 p.m. at the Marts Center.