OWINGS MILLS, Md. – In a match that mirrored a heavyweight championship fight, fourth-seeded Stevenson and fifth-seeded Misericordia slugged it out for five sets, before the Cougars (14-21) upended the Mustangs (12-17) 3-2 in the first-round of the 2023 Middle Atlantic Conference men's volleyball playoffs Tuesday night.

With the win, Misericordia advances to play top-seeded and second-ranked Stevens on Thursday night, while Stevenson sees its season come to an end.

 Set scores were 25-22, 17-25, 25-21, 23-25 and 15-12 in favor of the Cougars.

Stevenson was led by several standout performances, with Tim Flanagan getting a match-high 23 kills with Jack Braverman and Elliot De La Torre each netting nine. Justin Novoa had 38 assists with Michael Dougherty coming in with 17 digs. Flanagan had 13 digs, with Novoa chipping in with 12. De La Torre had three solo blocks, part of six for the Mustangs.

Misericordia got a team-high 19 kills from Jackson Fehnel, with Anthony DePalma getting 18. Gannon DeFrain had 47 assists, with Alex Furlong getting 16 digs. DePalma ad three solo blocks and two assists, as he accounted for 23 Cougar points.  

Misericordia took the first set 25-22, leading early on 4-1 on a kill from Fehnel. Cougars led most of the way until Stevenson took its first lead at 14-13 on a kill by Braverman. Both teams would trade the lead until Misericordia went up 22-20 on a block by Fehnel and Zane Martin. A block by DePalma would end the first set. 

Set two was all Stevenson, as the Mustangs never trailed. Leading 10-9, Stevenson went on a 4-0 run via two Cougar attack errors. The lead reached five several times before the Mustangs pulled away as Flanagan had a kill at 22-16, followed by another attack error to go up 23-16 and win set two, 25-17.

In set three, Stevenson got out to a 9-6 lead and maintained that lead to as much as four. Misericordia would come back and take the lead for good at 14-13. Stevenson got within two late at 23-21, but, an attack error and a service ace gave the Cougars the third set and the lead, 2-1.

Set four was nip and tuck before Stevenson made the late charge to go up 23-21 on kills from Flanagan and Braverman. Leading 24-23, Flanagan would land the knock-out punch with a kill to win set four, 25-23.  

Stevenson took the early advantage in set five, ledging 9-5 as De La Torre had a block. Leading 11-10, Stevenson watched Misericordia get back-to-back kills from Martin and DePalma to go up 12-11. A kill from Ryan Thenell tied the score at 12-all, before back-to-back kills from Fehnel put the Cougars up 14-12. James Walsh and Benjamin Clendening assisted on the match ending block.