GLENSIDE, Pa. – The Drew University men's volleyball team earned a split in its final tri-match of the season on Saturday at Arcadia University.
The Rangers (14-14) opened the day with a 3-1 win over Eastern University, prevailing by scores of 25-12, 25-22, 21-25, 25-18. Drew closed the game with a 3-0 (25-18, 25-18, 25-23) loss to Arcadia.
With their victory, the Rangers have now won five more matches than either of the first two seasons of Drew men's volleyball.
Against Eastern, Drew was led by junior
Ephraim Smith, who fired up 15 kills and committed just one error on 29 swings for a .483 hitting performance while also posting seven digs and three blocks. Junior
Jacob Sledz added 13 kills, four aces, and nine digs while senior
Omarf Ortega-Reyes contributed 29 assists and nine digs. Junior
Bryan Do totaled 10 digs, classmate
C.J. Addeo notched three aces, and sophomore
Jason Barbosa threw down three blocks.
In the opening set, the Rangers led just 10-7 before using an 11-3 run to break it open. Drew used a surge in the middle of the second set to pull away, outscoring the Eagles 6-1 to break a 15-15 tie.
Eastern bolted to an 8-2 start in the third set, and the Rangers were unable to get closer than three the rest of the way. But in the fourth, it was Drew with the quick start, outscoring the Eagles 8-3. Eastern trailed just 17-13 late before the Rangers used a 3-0 surge to open up a seven-point advantage.
Against Arcadia, Sledz paced the Rangers with eight kills and five digs while Ortega-Reyes handed out 17 assists. Smith and Barbosa racked up six and four blocks, respectively, while Doh led the Rangers with six digs.
The Knights went up 5-1 at the start of the match and never trailed the rest of the way. Drew trailed just 12-10 before Arcadia broke out with a 6-1 run. The Knights also pulled away midway through the second set, using a 5-1 spurt to go up 17-12.
The final set was close all the way, and the Rangers led 22-20 following a kill from Smith. Arcadia ran off four straight points to go up 24-22 but a service error made it a one-point game. However, the Knights ended the match will a kill.
Drew plays its season finale on Wednesday, when it visits Wilkes University at 7 p.m.
