CHESTER, Pa. – The Drew University men's volleyball team claimed the third set, but it wasn't enough as host Widener University captured a 3-1 decision over the Rangers on Thursday.
 
The Pride won the first two sets, 25-19 and 25-22, before the Rangers won 25-22. However, Widener clinched it with a 25-16 victory in the fourth set.
 
Junior Jacob Sledz paced the Rangers (13-13) with 14 kills and six digs while classmate Ephraim Smith added 10 kills and seven digs. Sophomore Andrew DuHaime contributed eight kills while senior Omarf Ortega-Reyes distributed 38 assists.
 
Michael Martino and Matthew Christ led Widener (10-11) with 15 and 14 kills, respectively.
 
In the opening set, the Rangers trailed just 14-12 before the Pride used a 6-1 to pull away. A 4-0 run, sparked by consecutive kills from Sledz, pulled Drew to within 20-17 but Widener closed the set on a 5-2 surge.
 
The Rangers jumped out to a 12-7 lead in the second set, but the Pride went in front with a 9-1 run. Drew came back to make it a one-point game (22-21), but Widener ended the set with a 3-1 spurt.
 
Drew trailed just once in the third set, when it was 2-1. The Rangers raced out to a 12-6 lead but Widener rallied to tie it at 13-all. However, Drew responded with a 4-0 run, capped by consecutive aces from Sledz. Drew led 24-18 before Widener scored four straight points to pull within two; however, a service error gave the Rangers the set victory.
 
The final set was close in the early going, and Widener led just 14-13 before the Pride broke it open with a 5-0 run. Sledz scored Drew's final two points on a pair of kills, the last of which made it 21-16, before the Pride scored the final four points.
 
The Rangers competed in their final tri-match of the season on Saturday, when they visit Arcadia University to take on Eastern University at 1 p.m. and Arcadia at 3 p.m.