Owings Mills, Md. (March 18) — The Stevenson Mustangs turned in a strong all-around performance Wednesday night, defeating Arcadia in a four-set MAC battle (27–25, 25–19, 19–25, 25–15) inside Owings Mills Gymnasium. 


Set 1:
The match opened with both teams trading points early, as a kill from Adam DeRubertis and a finish by Kevin Kouchoukos helped Stevenson stay even. Arcadia built a mid-set cushion, capitalizing on a service ace and several Mustang errors to take a 9–3 lead. 

Stevenson responded behind Tanner Laukhuff, who sparked a run with multiple kills to cut the deficit. Corwin Trouteaud and Kouchoukos added key points as the Mustangs battled back to tie the set at 18–18. Late in the frame, Stevenson showed composure, with Trouteaud delivering back-to-back kills and Adam Sawyers finishing a crucial rally to push the Mustangs ahead. Stevenson closed the set on a strong note, edging Arcadia 27–25.

Set 2:
Stevenson carried its momentum into the second set, using an early service run from Laukhuff, including back-to-back aces, to establish control at a 3-3 score. DeRubertis found his rhythm offensively, recording several kills as the Mustangs built a steady lead. Midway through the set, Trouteaud contributed a service ace and helped anchor a run that pushed the advantage to 17–12. Despite a brief push from Arcadia, Stevenson maintained its edge with consistent attacking from Laukhuff and Kouchoukos. The Mustangs closed out the set behind another key kill from Laukhuff, taking a 25–19 win and a 2–0 match lead.

Set 3:
Arcadia responded in the third set, jumping out to an early lead as Stevenson struggled to find consistency. Kills from DeRubertis and Laukhuff kept the Mustangs within reach, while a service ace from Trouteaud helped tie the set at 12–12. However, Arcadia used a late run fueled by service pressure and Mustang errors to regain control. Stevenson continued to fight, with contributions from Sawyers and DeRubertis, but Arcadia closed the set 25–19 to extend the match.

Set 4:
The Mustangs answered emphatically in the fourth set. Stevenson raced out to an early lead behind kills from Trouteaud and DeRubertis, while strong net play from Kouchoukos helped extend the margin. A dominant mid-set run saw Stevenson capitalize on multiple Arcadia errors, with Sawyers and Laukhuff contributing key finishes to stretch the lead to double digits. The Mustangs continued to apply pressure from the service line and at the net, cruising to a commanding 25–15 set victory to clinch the match.


Stevenson returns to action on Wednesday, March 25 at 7 p.m. when they host Messiah for MAC action.