Saint Davids, Pa. (April 1) – The Stevenson men's volleyball team battled through a back-and-forth MAC contest on the road at Eastern, ultimately securing a hard-fought five-set victory over the Eagles (17-25, 25-17, 25-20, 22-25, 15-12).

Set 1:
Stevenson came out aggressive, as Tanner Laukhuff sparked an early scoring run for the Mustangs. Eastern responded with strong play at the net, evening the score at 6-6. The teams traded points throughout a tightly contested set, with contributions from Adam DeRubertis and Adam Sawyers helping Stevenson stay within striking distance. However, a late six-point run by the Eagles created separation, as Eastern pulled away to take the set, 25-17.

Set 2:
The Mustangs quickly reset, opening the set with a kill from RC Getteau. Stevenson built momentum behind Laukhuff's attacking presence and capitalized on Eastern errors to establish a 12-4 lead. Despite a brief push from the Eagles, DeRubertis and Aden Thompson helped maintain control, extending the lead to 20-12. A connection between Connor Roth and Dean Holbrook sealed the set, 25-17, evening the match at 1-1.

Set 3:
Eastern grabbed the early edge for the first time, taking a 5-2 lead, but Stevenson responded with a collective effort to regain control. A service ace from Daniel Sledz helped push the Mustangs ahead 20-17. Holbrook and Laukhuff continued to apply pressure at the net before DeRubertis finished the set with the final point, giving Stevenson a 25-20 win and a 2-1 match advantage.

Set 4:
Laukhuff once again opened the scoring, adding both a kill and a service ace, but Eastern answered with a four-point run to take a 10-7 lead. The Mustangs battled back behind strong swings from Thompson and Getteau, closing the gap to one point at 16-15. The set remained tight down the stretch, with both teams trading short runs. Eastern ultimately capitalized late, securing the 25-22 win to force a decisive fifth set.

Set 5:
Eastern struck first in the final frame, but DeRubertis took over with three consecutive kills off Roth's sets to give Stevenson momentum. The duo continued to connect effectively, with Laukhuff adding key points to keep the Mustangs in front. Although the Eagles closed within one, Stevenson held firm at the net, scoring the final two points to clinch the 15-12 set victory and the 3-2 match win.


Stevenson will remain on the road as they travel to Hood on Thursday, April 2 for another MAC matchup, scheduled for 7 p.m.