Men's Volleyball Falls in Four to Lions

Friday, April 5

St. Charles, Mo.

8 p.m.

Purdue Fort Wayne

12-10, 4-7MIVA

Lindenwood

19-9, 5-6MIVA

IPFW

Lindenwood

Photo by: Lucas Carter

4/5/2013 10:20:00 PM | Men's Volleyball

Box Score

BOX SCORE (.pdf)

ST. CHARLES, Mo. - Despite a season-high 21 kills from junior Eddie Rivera, the IPFW Mastodons fell in four sets to the Lindenwood Lions, 23-25, 25-21, 25-22, 25-22.

Rivera's 21 kills came while hitting .395, as Ramon Burgos and Anthony Randolph each added 11 kills. Luis Bertran picked up 11 digs, while Rivera and Randolph each finished two digs away from a double-double. Omar Rivera dished out 45 assists, as he, Eddie Rivera, Andy Sellan, and Keegan Robbins had a service ace.

There were 14 ties and five lead changes in the first set, and the 'Dons (12-10, 4-7 MIVA) trailed 20-19 before out-scoring Lindenwood (19-9, 5-6 MIVA) 6-3 the rest of the way, in the 25-23 opening-set win.

The teams played back-and-forth again in the second set, as the teams were tied at 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17. After 17-17, the Lions ran off three separate 2-0 runs, and an 8-3 run overall to earn a split after the first two sets with the 25-21 Lindenwood victory.

Lindenwood jumped out to a five-point, 8-3 lead in the second set before the Mastodons went on a run, scoring four straight and six of seven total points to tie the score at nine all, and later used a 5-1 run to push ahead to a 15-13 advantage. IPFW led by two at 20-18 late in the third set, before the Lions closed the contest on a 7-2 run, earning the 25-22 win in the third set.

The Lions used their late momentum from the third set, and ran it into the fourth, as the hosts trailed just once in the frame at 3-2, before picking up three straight points to lead 5-3 and never trailed again, despite the Mastodons closing to within one at 6-5 and 8-7.

The Lions gradually pushed ahead to a five-point, 21-16 advantage, before the Mastodons scored two straight to climb to within 21-18; however, the teams traded sideouts for the remainder of the set, as the hosts held on for the 25-22 fourth-set win.

As a team, Lindenwood hit a blistering .421 on attack attempts, with 59 kills against just 11 errors and 114 attempts, while IPFW hit .239 for the game, with 55 kills.

The Mastodons return to action on Saturday, April 6, when the squad faces off against the Quincy Hawks in an 8 p.m. first serve in Quincy, Ill.

~ Feel the Rumble ~