Fort Wayne, Ind. - The Maryville men's volleyball team recorded its highest point total of the young season in a three-set loss at Purdue Fort Wayne. The Mastodons held off the Saints 25-21, 25-16, 25-15. Tate Sandvig paced Maryville with seven kills and eight digs, while Luke Van Handel finished with five kills and two solo blocks.
 
What Happened
A Van Handel kill pushed the Saints on top 3-1 to open the match. Maryville was still up 6-4 after a Mastodon miscue but the hosts scored five straight points to take the lead. The Saints tied the score at 13-13 before a block by Cameron Chambers and Cole Torrence put Maryville up 15-14. PFW tallied five straight points. The Saints used a late 3-1 run after a Purdue Fort Wayne service error, a solo block by Van Handel and a Sandvig kill cut the deficit to 23-21. However, the hosts scored the final two points.
 
Set two saw the Saints take an early lead after a Van Handel kill and an ace by Mason Mortimer for a 5-3 margin. A 4-0 run forged a 9-9 tie on a block by Torrence and Sandvig. Down 13-12, the Saints edged back ahead after a kill by Mortimer and a Mastodons error for a 14-13 lead. PFW used an 8-2 burst and to take a 2-0 lead in sets.
 
The home side took a small lead in the third set but the Saints used a 3-1 run and closed the gap to 9-8 after a kill by Sandvig and a PFW error. The Mastodons scored six of the next seven points to surge ahead. Victor Ganev notched a kill and an ace but the Saints were unable to trim the gap to less than five the rest of the match.
 
Statistical Leaders
Kills: Tate Sandvig - 7
Hitting Percentage: Jacob Fischer - .250
Assists: Cameron Chambers - 18
Service Aces: Victor Ganev and Mason Mortimer - 1
Digs: Tate Sandvig - 8
Blocks: Cole Torrence - 4
 
Records:
Maryville: 0-3
Purdue Fort Wayne: 2-1
 
What's Next?
The Saints host their first home match in program history as Culver-Stockton comes to Moloney Arena Friday, Jan. 20, for a 7 p.m. contest.