HUNTINGDON, Pa. - The 15th-ranked Stevenson University men's volleyball team swept No. 11 Southern Virginia 3-0 to open the Juniata Invitational at Memorial Gymnasium Friday evening.  Set scores were 25-22, 25-21, 25-22.

• After four ties in the first eight points, Stevenson (3-1) netted three straight points to take a 7-5 lead.
• The Knights (2-2) scored the next two points to tie the set 7-7.
• Back-to-back kills by Aleks Melbardis and Nate Reynolds, followed by an SVU attack error, put the Mustangs up 10-7.
• With the set tied 19-19, a Logan Smiley kill and a Kyle Bosko block put Stevenson back in front, 21-19.
• Southern Virginia forged two more ties, the last at 22-22, but a Reynolds kill, a Knight attack error, and a service ace by Melbardis closed out the frame.

• Southern Virginia jumped out to an 8-3 lead after scoring six straight points.
• Down 11-7, Stevenson rattled off five straight points capped by a kill by Smiley to go up 12-11.
• The Knights stormed back to take a 19-15 lead.
• The Mustangs scored eight of the next nine points and an SVU attack error put Stevenson in front 23-20.
• After a Knight kill halted the run, another attack error by Southern Virginia, followed by a Smiley service ace, put the Mustangs up 2-0.

• The Mustangs opened up an 8-4 lead following a kill by Melbardis.
• Southern Virginia scored the next five points to take a 9-8 lead.
• The Knights gradually built a 17-13 lead.
• Stevenson responded with four straight points to tie the set 17-17.
• A kill by Melbardis put the Mustangs up 21-20.
• A Mustang attack error, followed by an SVU kill put the Knights up 22-21.
• From there, Stevenson scored the final four points to take the win.

• Stevenson hit .333 in the second set and .278 for the match, while the Knights hit .148.
• Smiley hit .308 and totaled 12 kills.
• Melbardis and Reynolds finished with eight kills apiece, with Reynolds hitting .636 with just one error on 11 swings.  He also tallied three blocks.
• Tanner Stauffer added seven kills.
• Derek Tangorra recorded 10 digs, while Peyton Ranck handed out 31 assists.

• Stevenson is in action twice at the Juniata Invitational Saturday, facing Hiram at 10:30 am and facing the host and 12th-ranked Eagles at 4:30 pm.
• The Mustangs home opener is set for Friday, January 31, as they square off with Lancaster Bible to kick off the Stevenson Invitational at 5 pm at Owings Mills Gymnasium.