BUFFALO, NY – The Medaille men's volleyball team extended their win-streak with a victory against Penn State Altoona on Saturday. Not only have the Mavericks won their last three, but they have also done so by setting their opponents down in straight sets.
The Mavs and Lions opened up the first frame exchanging a run of points, resulting in a (10-10) tie in the early going. The two sides continued to go back and forth and exchange volleys, leading up to a close finish with both teams tied at (24). However, the Mavs would receive back-to-back kills from
Brandon Smith (Lancaster, NY, Lancaster) and
Chris Pauline Jr. (North Tonawanda, NY, North Tonawanda) to file away the first set in favor of Medaille (26-24).
The second set saw a different dynamic compared to the opening set. The Mavs opened up with a (6-1) lead and continued to build on it, leading by as big as (12-4). However the Lions came roaring back, getting the Maverick lead down to just (17-12).
Altoona would then silence the Mavs, going on a (5-0) run, deleting what once was a favorable Medaille advantage. But, the Mavs had a response of their own. Medaille would score a (7-1) run and would finish things with another kill by Pauline Jr. ending it at (25-20).
The third set was all Medaille with the Lions only having a lead once in the set when Altoona led early, (7-6). The Mavericks would take the lead (9-8) off of a service ace by Smith and never look back, finishing the sweep of the Lions (25-21).
Dickerson racked up four solo blocks on Saturday
Pauline Jr. continued his recent tear, racking up another (14) kills while also adding on two solo blocks, two block assists and seven digs. Freshman
Malachi Jackson (Cheektowaga, NY, Cheektowaga) totaled seven kills and a team-leading eight digs for the Mavs. Senior
Matt Dickerson (Lockport, NY, Starpoint) was a force to be reckoned with at the net on Saturday, totaling four solo blocks.
Today would mark the first time the Mavericks have won inside the Sullivan Center in 2021 despite their (3-1) conference record. The Mavs will now look for another win on their home court against Hilbert College on Monday night, kicking off a busy week of conference games. Match start is slated for 6 PM.
