Huntingdon, Pa. (March 14) — The Stevenson men's volleyball split a pair of matches Saturday afternoon in the Juniata Tri-Match, rallying for a five-set comeback victory over Mount Union before falling to the host, No. 4 Juniata in four sets.
Vs. Mount Union
Set 1: Stevenson opened the match trading points early before settling into rhythm midway through the set.
Corwin Trouteaud recorded a pair of early kills, while
Kevin Kouchoukos added a service ace to even the score at 5–5. The Mustangs created separation behind consecutive kills from Kouchoukos and
Tanner Laukhuff, followed by a service ace from
Kyler Robinson that extended the lead. Laukhuff continued to produce late in the frame, and
Adam DeRubertis delivered a key kill near the end as Stevenson closed out the opening set, 25–21.
Set 2: Mount Union answered quickly in the second set, jumping out to an early lead and maintaining control throughout the frame. Stevenson found points from
Adam Sawyers, Trouteaud, and
RC Getteau, while
Jackson Bones added a kill during a brief Mustang push. Despite trimming the deficit with a Robinson service ace and a late kill from
Ben Grove, Mount Union maintained its advantage and took the set, 25–13, to even the match.
Set 3: The third set remained competitive early as Stevenson rallied from a quick deficit. Grove sparked momentum with a service ace, and
Dean Holbrook and Bones each contributed kills during a mid-set run that gave the Mustangs the lead. Later points from Getteau and
Aden Thompson kept Stevenson in front, but Mount Union responded late with a scoring surge to capture the set, 25–21, and move ahead 2–1 in the match.
Set 4: Facing a one-set deficit, Stevenson delivered its most dominant stretch of the afternoon in the fourth. Behind a strong serving run from Grove, the Mustangs raced out to a commanding lead as Bones, Holbrook, and Thompson combined for several early kills. The Mustang defense also came alive at the net with multiple blocks slowing Mount Union's attack. Stevenson continued to pile on points and never allowed the Raiders to recover, rolling to a decisive 25–5 victory to force a fifth set.
Set 5: The deciding set featured tight play from both sides early on. Holbrook and Getteau provided key points to give Stevenson a slight edge, while a block from Holbrook and Grove helped extend the lead midway through the frame. After Mount Union briefly pulled within one, the Mustangs regained momentum behind back-to-back kills from Grove and Bones. Holbrook sealed the match with the final point as Stevenson closed out the fifth set, 15–12, completing the comeback victory.
Vs. Juniata
Set 1:
The Mustangs came out aggressive, with
Tanner Laukhuff opening the scoring on a kill from
Connor Roth. Trouteaud and Getteau added early finishes as the teams traded points through the opening stretch. A key mid-set run helped Stevenson gain separation, sparked by a Bones service ace and a strong block from Roth and Sawyers. Laukhuff continued to power the offense late, while the Mustangs' front row combined for multiple blocks to hold the lead. With the set tight in the closing moments, Getteau delivered a clutch kill before a block from Getteau and Trouteaud sealed the frame, giving Stevenson a 25–22 win and early momentum.
Set 2:
Stevenson carried energy into the second set as Trouteaud opened the scoring with a kill. Roth added a service ace during a quick Mustang push that helped Stevenson grab an early edge. Juniata responded with a run midway through the set, but the Mustangs stayed within striking distance thanks to kills from Laukhuff, Bones, and Getteau. After trailing late, Stevenson battled back to tie the score at 14–14 following a surge sparked by DeRubertis from the service line. Laukhuff and Sawyers contributed key points down the stretch, but Juniata finished with a late push to take the set, 25–21.
Set 3:
The third set remained competitive early as Laukhuff and Sawyers each registered kills to keep Stevenson even. The Mustangs stayed within reach behind another strong finish from Laukhuff and a service ace from Bones that trimmed the deficit late. Trouteaud and Getteau added points during a brief Stevenson rally, but Juniata maintained control and closed the set, 25–17, to move ahead in the match.
Set 4:
Stevenson continued to fight in the fourth set, with Trouteaud recording an early kill and Laukhuff adding a service ace to spark the Mustangs. Bones and Getteau each contributed timely points as Stevenson worked to close the gap during the middle portion of the set. Late kills from Robinson and Sawyers kept the Mustangs pushing, and a block by Laukhuff and Trouteaud helped extend the set. Despite the effort, Juniata held off the comeback attempt and secured the match with a 25–16 win in the final frame.
Stevenson will return home for its next match on Wednesday, March 18 as they are set to host Arcadia for 7pm MAC action.
