GRANTHAM, Pa. - Top-seeded Messiah University rallied from a 2-0 deficit to take a 3-2 win over second-seeded Stevenson University in the 2021 Middle Atlantic Conference Men's Volleyball Championship title match at Hitchcock Arena Saturday night.  Set scores were 18-25, 13-25, 25-23, 25-20, 15-11.

• With the set tied 11-11, Stevenson (13-4) used a 7-3 run to take an 18-14 lead on a Logan Smiley kill.
• Messiah (16-2) cut the lead to three twice, the last time at 19-16.
• After back-to-back Messiah attack errors, an Elliot De La Torre kill closed out the set.
• The Mustangs hit .609 (15-1-23) in the first frame.

• Stevenson took control of the second set with an early 6-0 run to go up 8-3 on a Tanner Stauffer kill.
• Leading 14-9, a 6-1 run capped by another Stauffer kill extended the lead to 20-10.
• The Mustangs scored the final four points of the set to go up 2-0, with kills by Stauffer and Aleks Melbardis during the run.

• Messiah opened up a 22-15 lead after a 6-1 run.
• Down 23-16, the Mustangs reeled off six straight points to pull within one, 23-22.
• Grant Nelson and Aidan O'Brien teamed up for a pair of blocks during the run.
• After a Messiah kill, Stevenson staved off set point with a Smiley kill.
• A Nate Bowman kill closed out the set and kept the Falcons alive.

• The fourth set saw eight ties, the last at 18-18.
• Messiah scored five straight points to build a 23-18 lead.
• A block by De La Torre and Smiley stopped the run, but the Falcons scored the next point to make it 24-18.
• Stevenson fought off set point with a Smiley kill but a Bowman kill forced the fifth set.

• Stevenson took a 6-5 lead on a block by De La Torre and Smiley.
• The Falcons countered with three straight points to take a 9-6 lead.
• The guests cut the lead to two twice, the last at 13-11.
• Back-to-back Mason Nissley kills closed out the match and completed the Messiah comeback.

• Melbardis led the Mustangs with 19 kills on .375 hitting and added seven digs and four blocks.
• Smiley racked up 17 kills, nine digs and four service aces.
• Stauffer finished with nine kills, seven digs and a pair of blocks.
• De La Torre notched eight kills and four blocks.
• O'Brien recorded five blocks.
• Nelson registered 51 assists.
• Mason Scott had a team-best 14 digs defensively.
• Stevenson hit .244 for the match, but just .126 over the final three sets after hitting .458 in the first two.
• The match featured 24 ties and 10 lead changes.
• Stevenson has appeared in all three MAC title matches.  Messiah was making its first appearance.