Lindenwood men’s volleyball (6-11, 3-6 MIVA) won both of their matches over the weekend, with wins over #14 Lewis (16-5, 6-3 MIVA) and Quincy University (7-11, 1-7 MIVA). The back-to-back wins are only the second time this season the Lions have won two matches in a row and snapped a three game losing streak and a streak of losing seven out of eight.
3/13 vs Lewis:
After a three match road trip including a pair of matches against Hawaii the Lions returned home and pulled off the upset in four sets (26-24, 25-21, 19-25, 25-15) over #14 Lewis.
Four different Lions tallied double digit kills, led by Brendan Louthain who had 15 kills and swung .310 for the match. Carter Stenmark was right behind him with 14 kills swinging .571 and having an ace. Owen Walsh and Jacob Christopher tallied 11 and 10 respectively and Walsh swung an other-worldly .733.
Lindenwood used a 4-0 run to take an early 10-5 before Lewis stormed back and cut the lead to one at 11-10 before tying it all up at 18 before taking the lead at 20-19. Lewis would get to set point at 24-23 off a kill from Max Roquet before Lindenwood would go on a 3-0 run to claim the thrilling back-and-forth opening set capped off by kills from Cole Schuler and Stenmark.
Set two would continue to be back-and-forth, as the Lions prevented the Flyers from playing their style of volleyball and jumping out to a quick lead. Lindenwood would again win the race to 10 leading 10-6 early before gaining their largest lead at five at 18-13. Lewis would cut the lead back to two at 21-19 but that’s the closest it would get as a kill from Christopher and an attack error from Roquet would give the Lions a 25-21 set two win and a commanding 2-0 lead in the match.
Set three continued to be back-and-forth as neither team could pull away instead trading points. They would be tied at 17-17 before a 3-0 from Lewis gave them the momentum in the set. Lindenwood would try to comeback as a kill from Stenmark brought the lead down to two at 21-19 but a 4-0 run to close the set gave the Flyers a 25-19 set three win.
Lindenwood would close out the upset with a dominating 25-15 set four win as the Lions used a huge 7-1 run halfway through the set to give them a commanding 18-10 lead and they would never look back rolling to a 25-15 set four and match win capped off by Stenmark and Louthain kills. The Lions hit .733 in the match clinching set.
3/15 vs Quincy:
Lindenwood got it done once again on Saturday, racking up the four set win (25-19, 25-22, 21-25, 25-20) over MIVA opponent Quincy. Jacob Christopher had a career day tallying 16 kills and swinging, .560 while Brendan Louthain was the only other Lions with double-digit kills with 13 on a .435 hit percentage.
Quincy got out to a 6-4 lead in the opening set but Lindenwood responded with an 8-2 run to take a 12-8 advantage. A 6-1 would further put the Lions up 20-11 and they would cruise to a 25-19 set one win capped off by kills from Stenmark, Walsh and Christopher.
The Lions would be up early 10-8 and 13-10 before a 3-0 Quincy run knotted things up at 13 apiece. Anytime Lindenwood grabbed a lead, Quincy had the answer as Lindenwood led 19-17 but Quincy once again rallied tying things up at 19-19. Lindenwood would go on a 3-0 run behind Louthain and Christopher before Quincy rallied once more drawing within one at 22-21. Kills from Amir Grant and Christopher though would put the Hawks down for good as Lindenwood won set two 25-22.
Set three played out much like set two with neither team able to gain much of a lead before a 3-0 halfway through the set gave the Lions a 14-12 lead. Quincy was able to tie things up at 16 before going on a 4-0 run to take a commanding 20-17 lead. Lindenwood would get within two at 21-19 after a Walsh kill but the Hawks were able to close out a 25-21 set three win keeping them alive.
Set four continued to be close with both trading points before the Lions grabbed a 12-11 lead. A kill from Stenmark followed up by an ace put Lindenwood up 15-12 before Quincy yet again rallied, cutting the lead to 16-15. A 5-2 run by the Lions capped off by a Jose Vargas ace put them up 21-17 and the Lions wouldn’t look back as Stenmark and Christopher kills would close out a 25-20 set four win for Lindenwood and a 3-1 match win.
Lindenwood will be back in action on Wednesday, March 19 at McKendree at 7 p.m. before returning home on Saturday March 22 as they play host to Purdue Fort-Wayne beginning at 1 p.m.
