GRANTHAM, Pa. - Host Messiah rallied from a 2-0 deficit to defeat 14th-ranked Stevenson 3-2 and hand the Mustangs their first loss of the season in Middle Atlantic Conference men's volleyball Wednesday night at Hitchcock Arena.  Set scores were 22-25, 21-25, 25-16, 25-23, 15-13.

• After 10 ties, Stevenson (7-1, 7-1 MAC) and Messiah (9-1, 9-1 MAC) were tied 15-15 in the opening set.
• With Tanner Stauffer serving, the Mustangs reeled off five straight points to build a 20-15 lead following a Logan Smiley kill.
• With Stevenson ahead 24-19 and serving for set point, the Falcons scored three straight to pull within 24-22 on a Christian Wolf kill.
• An Aidan O'Brien kill closed out the first set. 

• Messiah used a 4-1 spurt to go up 18-15 on a Mason Nissley service ace.
• An Elliot De La Torre kill, followed by back-to-back Mustang blocks by De La Torre, Grant Nelson and Stauffer, tied the set 15-15.
• Stevenson took a 21-20 lead on a Smiley kill, but a service error tied the set for the 13th time.
• The Mustangs rattled off the final four points to take a 2-0 lead, with a Nelson service ace and an O'Brien kill closing out the stanza.

• Messiah jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the third set.
• Leading 14-12, five straight points by the Falcons allowed the hosts to take a 19-12 lead.
• Stevenson got as close as 20-15, but back-to-back kills by Ian Parzyszek closed out the set as the Falcons stayed alive.

• Stevenson held a 13-11 lead before Messiah used a 6-2 run to take a 17-15 lead.
• The Mustangs tied the set 18-18 on a De La Torre kill.
• The Falcons responded with four straight points to go up 22-18, and led 24-20 following a Parzyszek kill.
• Three straight Stevenson points, including back-to-back kills by Smiley, pulled the guests to within 24-23.
• A service error closed out the set and forced the deciding set.

• Messiah jumped out to a 6-2 lead in the final frame.
• Trailing 10-8, an O'Brien kill and a Smiley service ace tied the set 10-10.
• Stevenson took a 12-11 lead after a Falcon attack error.
• The Falcons scored the next three points to take a 14-12 lead and hold serve for match point.
• A kill by Stauffer staved off match point and made it 14-13, but a Nissley kill closed out the set and the match.

• Messiah hit .517 in the third set and .292 for the match, while the Mustangs hit .187.
• Smiley paced Stevenson with 15 kills, while O'Brien hit .273 and recorded 11 and added three blocks.
• Tyler Aiello hit at a .583 clip and registered eight kills.
• De La Torre and Stauffer each added five kills, with De La Torre posting four blocks.
• Nelson handed out 38 assists and posted two service aces and a pair of blocks.
• Mason Scott racked up 18 digs, with Michael Dougherty added eight.
• The match featured 34 ties and 13 lead changes, including 13 ties and five lead changes in the second set.
• The loss snapped a 10-match win streak dating back to last season.  The last Mustang loss came on February 21, 2020.

• Stevenson will look to bounce back Saturday, when it hosts Alvernia in a 1 pm MAC doubleheader at Owings Mills Gym.