ST. DAVIDS, PA – The Wilkes University men's volleyball team opened the match with a win in the first set only to see host Eastern University win three straight on way to a 3-1 victory over the Colonels Tuesday night at The Nest.
 
Wilkes saw its four-game win streak come to an end as the Colonels fell to 6-2 overall on the season. Eastern improved to 5-5 on the year following the home win.
 
In the first set after Eastern raced out to a 5-1 lead, Wilkes responded with back-to-back kills from Jackson Shafer (Milford, PA/Delaware Valley) to cut the lead to one. The Colonels made the comeback complete tying the set at 10-10 when brothers Lucas Mages (Buffalo, NY/Iroquois Central) and Jacob Mages (Buffalo, NY/Iroquois Central) added block assists on an Eagles attempt. The block party continued in the set as Paul Binner (Tunkhannock, PA/Tunkhannock) and Shafer added a block to give Wilkes its first lead of the night at 14-13. The teams traded points until Eastern took a 22-21 lead late in the set following a kill. L. Mages posted a kill then another block from the duo of Binner and Shafer gave the Colonels a 23-22 advantage. After two more split points, Binner and Shafer finished off the win for Wilkes with their third block to take the set 25-23 and a 1-0 lead in the match.
 
Eastern again jumped out to a lead in the second set, holding at least a three-point advantage through the first 15 points of the set. Two consecutive kills from Shafer sandwiched between an Eagles attack error brought Wilkes to within one trailing 15-14. Eagles took control back with five straight points before tying the match with a 25-19 victory.
 
The third set looked much like the second with the hosts taking an early lead and holding onto at least a three-point advantage throughout. A late 7-0 run gave the Eagles a 24-14 lead before taking a 2-1 lead in the match by winning the third set 25-16.
 
Eastern finished off the match with a 25-19 win in the fourth set. Shafer continued his fine swings recording five kills in the set tying the match at 10 and 12 before the Eagles made a run to take a 19-13 lead they would never relinquish.
 
Shafer led the squad with a match-high 17 kills, one ace and three block assists. Binner followed with eight kills, two aces and five digs. Zach Shay (Bethlehem, PA/Freedom) finished with 29 assists on 38 kills to pace the passing game. Alex Derk (Perkasie, PA/Pennridge) posted a team-high 14 digs from the back line.
 
Eastern used a balanced attack throughout with four hitters reaching nine kills or more in the win.
 
Wilkes is back on the court Wednesday with another road matchup at Purchase College starting at 7:00 p.m.