ROMEOVILLE, Ill. – Just over 24 hours after opening its campaign Monday evening, Missouri S&T's men's volleyball team fell to a nationally-ranked team for the second straight night as 15th-ranked Lewis defeated the Miners in straight sets Monday evening. The Miners lost the first set 25-17, dropped the second set 25-12 before ultimately losing the third set 25-15.
The Flyers began the decision on a 3-0 run after two Miners errors and a Cole Brillhart ace, but S&T tied the set at three after back-to-back blocks by
Aaron Sallade (Palatine, Ill./William Fremd) and
Caleb Rohlwing (Barrington, Ill./Barrington). The Miners (0-2) eventually took an 8-6 lead in the set following a kill by
Jordan Orr (Eureka, Mo./Eureka) and a block by Orr and
Grogan Kraus (St. Charles, Mo./Francis Howell North). Lewis responded with a 4-0 run that gave it the lead for good and later outscored the Miners 14-7 run to win the first set.
In the second set, Lewis jumped out to an early 4-1 lead but the Miners were able to collect back-to-back points off a pair of Flyer errors. S&T trailed 11-8 after another Lewis service error, but Brillhart got a kill on the next point to begin a 6-0 run. The string of points was eventually snapped on a kill by
Zachary Carff (O'Fallon, Mo./St. Dominic), but Lewis finished the set on a 8-2 run to take a 2-0 lead in the match.
The Miners kept pace with the Flyers early in set three and drew even at six following back-to-back kills by
Nate Meyer (Arlington Heights, Ill./Hersey) and Sallade. The set was tied at seven and again at eight before the Flyers ran off a 9-0 run that gave them control of the final set that they would end up winning 25-15.
S&T was led in kills by Meyer and Sallade with five apiece while Orr added four.
Andres Hernandez (Bedford, Texas/Trinity) led S&T with five digs while Orr and Meyer added three. Orr also had 13 assists for S&T while Rohlwing had a hand in four blocks. As a team, the Miners had 20 kills on 63 attacking attempts and had five blocks in the match.
The Flyers (1-2) were led in kills by Chase Celichowski with nine and Syver Drolsum contributed eight; Drolsum also had a team-high seven digs. Kevin Kauling recorded 26 assists for the Flyers as Lewis finished with two blocks.
The Miners will resume action on Saturday with its home opener hosting Kentucky State at 1 p.m. in Gibson Arena.
