OWINGS MILLS, Md. – Continuing its grueling non-conference schedule on Friday night, the Stevenson University men's volleyball team took on third-ranked Southern Virginia.
 
While the Knights took the match 3-0, Stevenson battled in all three sets. The set scores were 25-14, 25-23 and 25-19. The second set featured 15 ties and seven lead changes.
 
Stevenson (3-4), who was receiving votes in this week's AVCA Coaches poll, got 13 kills from Tim Flanagan, with Elliot De La Torre getting six. Justin Novoa had 20 assist, with Aiden O'Brien getting four blocks.
 
Defensively, Ryan Thenell had nine digs.
 
For Southern Virginia (9-0), Christian Sheaffer had 20 kills with Jeremy Brown getting nine. Tyler Sheaffer had 33 assists, with Justin Madsen getting ten digs. Kristo Blanchin had four blocks.
 
After dropping the first set, the Mustangs came out like gangbusters and went up 4-0 as Flanagan had a pair of kills. The Mustangs kept pace with the Knights as the two teams traded the lead in the latter part of the second set. O'Brien had a block to tie the score at 23-all, but, the Knights got a kill by Tyler Sheaffer and then a block by Christian Sheaffer to win the set.
 
In the third, Stevenson trailed by eight before getting back within four at 19-15 on a kill by Flanagan. The closest the Mustangs would get would be 22-18 when Flanagan had a service ace.
 
Stevenson will host Lancaster Bible on Valentine's Day at 7 p.m.