WILKES-BARRE – The Wilkes University men's volleyball team closed out the regular season at the Marts Center on Saturday afternoon, falling to No. 5 ranked Juniata College in straight sets 12-25, 17-25, 19-25.

Wilkes finishes the regular season 8-21 with an 0-7 record in Continental Volleyball Conference play, while Juniata improves to 25-3 with a 5-1 record against CVC opponents.

An early nine-point run to take the score to 1-10 helped the visitors claim the first set 12-25, and took the second set with help from a late 1-6 run to win 17-25.

The Wilkes offense came alive in the third set, opening the frame with a 7-2 run with kills from Lucas Mages (Buffalo, NY/Iroquois Central) and Jacob Ruiz (Long Pond, PA/Pocono Mtn West), as well as blocks by Jackson Shafer (Milford, PA/Delaware Valley) and Jacob Mages (Buffalo, NY/Iroquois Central). Another Ruiz kill and a service error pushed the lead to 10-5, before the Eagles outscored the Colonels 7-2 to tie the set at 12. Both squads traded the lead back and forth over the next few points, but a slight 0-2 run from the visitors gave them a 17-19 lead they would not relinquish, claiming the set and match 19-25.

Shafer finished his collegiate career leading the team with four kills, followed by L. Mages and Ruiz with three each. The three graduating Colonels led the team in blocking, as Shafer (2), L. Mages (1), and J. Mages (1) all stopped shots at the net. Joshua Conley (Chalfont, PA/Central Bucks South) led the team with 10 assists and seven digs, followed by Alex Derk (Perkasie, PA/Pennridge) with six.

Nathaniel Brown led Juniata with nine kills, while Max Finklestein dished out 11 assists. Defensively, Andrew Byrne led the team with 10 digs.