WILKES-BARRE – The Wilkes University men's volleyball team earned a straight-set victory over the Hood College Blazers at the Marts Center Friday night, breaking a four-match losing streak in the process. Wilkes took the sets by scores of 25-22, 25-16, 25-13.

Wilkes improves to 14-8 with the win, while Hood falls to 5-16 on the year.

With the first set tied 8-8, Wilkes broke the game open with a 5-0 run with two kills from Lucas Mages (Buffalo, NY/Iroquois Central). Hood closed the gap to 14-16, but a 3-0 run provided the cushion for the Colonels to take the first set 25-22.

Hood took an early lead in the second set 10-8, but a 5-0 run gave the Colonels a 13-10 lead on two attack errors, a block by Paul Binner (Tunkhannock, PA/Tunkhannock), a kill by Mages, and an ace from Noah Taylor (Lumberton, NJ/Rancocas Valley Regional). Wilkes finished the set outscoring the Blazers 7-1 to the 25-16 set victory, with Binner contributing three blocks and a kill during the run.

Wilkes dominated the final set of the day, taking an 11-5 lead early. Sam Winter (Whitehouse Station, NJ/Hunterdon Central) had two service aces on the run, with Taylor adding one as well. The Colonels finished the set as strong as they started it, finishing off the Blazers with another 7-1 run to the 25-13 set and match victory.

Mages led the Colonels with eight kills, followed by Taylor with seven. James Brust (Clarks Summit, PA/Abington Heights) led the team with 13 assists, while Binner added eight blocks. With those eight blocks, Binner surpassed his own record for blocks in a single season that he set last year at 87, now up to 92 and counting on the year. Defensively, Alex Derk (Perkasie, PA/Pennridge) led the team with eight digs.

Charles Casas led Hood with 14 kills, while Gael Bravo led the team in assists and digs with 19 and 10 respectively.

The Colonels return to action tomorrow, March 23^rd,  for a tri-match at the Marts Center on Senior Day as they host Neumann University and Bryn Athyn College starting at 11 a.m.