OWINGS MILLS, Md. – In a volleyball tri-match that took over seven hours, and featured 74 ties and 23 lead changes over its two matches, the Stevenson University men's volleyball team went 1-1 in its last home tri of the season.
In the opening match, the Mustangs went down to the wire with fifth-ranked Stevens falling 3-2. In the last match of the night, the Mustangs (10-6, 1-2 MAC) needed five sets to defeat Randolph-Macon, 3-2.
The last match of the day saw Tim Flanagan set a school record with 36 kills in a five-set match. His kill mark lands him in a tie for sixth all-time in Division III history and was just seven off the NCAA records.
(5) Stevens 3, (RV) Stevenson 2
Set scores in the marathon first match, which took 2:30, were 22-25, 25-21, 24-26, 25-17 and 15-13 in favor of the Ducks (16-3, 3-0 MAC). In the opener, Flanagan led the way with 20 kills, while Ryan Thenell had 18. Corwin Trouteaud had five blocks with Flanagan getting three.
Connor Roth had 54 assists in the five set thriller, with JD Sarmuksnis getting 16 digs. Anthony Pezzino had 15. Stevenson hit well in the first match going 18-4-40 in the third set to hit .350
In the first set, Stevenson took the opener as Flanagan and Pezzino had back-to-back kills after Stevenson was leading 23-22.
The second set saw the Ducks pull away as two kills from Sebastian Huyke broke open a 22-21 Ducks lead en route to tying the match at 1-all.
In the third set, back-to-back service errors knotted the match at 24-all, with kills by Thenell and a block by Trouteaud and Roth getting the Mustangs a 2-1 lead heading into the fourth set.
The fourth set was all Stevens as the Ducks went out to a commanding 16-8 lead and never looked back.
The fifth set saw the Ducks go up 9-3 before Stevenson rattled off four straight points, aided by two Stevens attack errors to get within two at 10-7. Stevenson would get within one several times, including 14-13 before the Ducks got a kill from Koby Sherman to end the match.
(RV) Stevenson 3, Randolph-Macon 2
Set scores in the nightcap were 23-25, 25-23, 25-20, 27-29 and 15-12 in favor of the Mustangs
Aside from Flanagan's 36 kills, RC Getteau had 11 and Pezzino had ten. Roth had 58 assists in the match, tying the highest output since Peyton Ranck (2/1/2020) and Grant Nelson (4/7/2021) did it during a four-set match.
Adam Sawyers had four block assists, with Samuksnis getting 20 digs. Flanagan aided with 16 and Pezzino had 11.
The first set saw the Yellow Jackets (14-8) score the last two points of the set to take a 1-0 lead after winning 25-23.
In the second set, Flanagan had the last two kills of the match to give the Mustangs a 25-23 and tie the score at 1-all.
The third set saw Stevenson lead by as much as 14-8, before RMC made a run to get within two at 19-17. From there, two kills by Flanagan and one by Getteau put the Mustangs up 22-17 on the way to a 2-1 match lead.
The fourth set saw the Mustangs have set and match point twice, before a kill from Oen Hahn and one from Ian Wagenhauser gave RMC a 29-27 win and knotted the match at 2-all.
In the fifth and deciding set, the Mustangs on a block assist at the end from Brian Farrell and Adam Sawyers.
Stevenson has the week off before taking on Lancaster Bible next Saturday in a makeup from February.
