Owings Mills, Md. (February 28) — The Stevenson University Mustangs experienced both sides of the spectrum on their home court Saturday afternoon at Owings Mills Gymnasium, battling back from a two-set deficit to earn a thrilling five-set comeback victory over MAC foe, Misericordia University, 23–25, 19–25, 25–19, 25–23, 15–12, after coming up short against No. 2 ranked Juniata in straight sets, 24-26, 13-25, 16-25.
 
Vs. Juniata

Set 1:
Stevenson settled in early after trading points through the opening rallies. Aden Thompson put the Mustangs on the board with a kill off a feed from Kyler Robinson, and Jackson Bones and Dean Holbrook added finishes to keep the score tight. Midway through the frame, RC Getteau sparked momentum with a service ace and followed with a kill to trim the deficit. Bones  and Ben Grove continued to shoulder the offense late, hammering back-to-back swings as Stevenson erased a two-point gap to tie the set at 24–24. However, Juniata answered with consecutive kills to close the set, 26–24, stealing the opener despite the Mustangs' late surge.

Set 2:
The second set proved challenging as Juniata capitalized on errors to build an early lead. Grove delivered a kill to stop the run, and Thompson added another finish to keep Stevenson within striking distance. The Mustangs showed flashes defensively, forcing several attack errors and earning points off the block, but couldn't string together a sustained rally. Juniata extended the margin and claimed the set, 25–13.

Set 3:
Looking to extend the match, Stevenson made lineup adjustments and found an early spark. Michael Dixon opened with a kill, then added another to give the Mustangs a quick 2–0 edge. Sutton Scoutelas and Tommy Peisinger contributed key points at the net, while Dixon continued to lead the attack with multiple swings. After trimming the deficit to six late, Stevenson mounted one final push behind consecutive kills from Scoutelas, but Juniata answered down the stretch to secure the 25–16 win and the match.
 
Vs. Misericordia

Set 1: Stevenson weathered an early run from the Cougars before settling into rhythm midway through the frame. Kills from Patrick Siewert and Corwin Trouteaud, along with a strong stretch of kills from Tanner Laukhuff, helped the Mustangs erase multiple small deficits. Laukhuff continued to find success on the outside and Adam DeRubertis added key touches in transition to tie the set late at 23–23. Misericordia, however, capitalized on back-to-back points to narrowly steal the opener, 25–23.

Set 2: The Cougars jumped out quickly in the second, using a series of blocks and service pressure to force Stevenson into tough swings. Siewert and Adam Sawyers combined for a pair of timely kills to slow the run, while the Mustang defense generated stops to keep things within reach. Despite a late push sparked by Siewert and DeRubertis, Misericordia held the edge down the stretch and took the set, 25–19, putting Stevenson two sets behind.

Set 3: Facing elimination, the Mustangs responded with energy. Bones made an immediate impact multiple early kills, and Trouteaud delivered a service ace to ignite the crowd. Sawyers chipped in while Kevin Kouchoukos added steady play at the net. Stevenson tightened up defensively and controlled the tempo, building separation late before Bones sealed the set with another strong swing, 25–19.

Set 4: Momentum carried into the fourth as Laukhuff and Sawyers traded kills during a back-and-forth start. The Mustangs used a balanced attack and improved blocking to slowly create space, with Kouchoukos and Trouteaud contributing at the net. After Misericordia clawed back to tie the score at 23–23, Stevenson stayed composed. Laukhuff hammered a clutch kill and Bones followed with a service ace to close the frame, 25–23, forcing a decisive fifth set.

Set 5: Stevenson wasted little time asserting control in the final set. Trouteaud opened with a kill and Sawyers added another to spark an early run. The Mustang block forced consecutive Cougar errors to extend the lead, while Roth distributed the offense efficiently. Misericordia made one last push, but kills from Trouteaud and Kouchoukos restored separation. Stevenson maintained its composure late and finished off the comeback with a final side out to claim the 15–12 victory
 

Stevenson returns to action at home on Wednesday, March 4 at 7 p.m. for a MAC contest against Widener.