GLENSIDE, Pa. – The Arcadia University men's volleyball team dropped a home tri-match on Saturday, falling 3-1 in the opener to Misericordia before dropping the nightcap to Cairn in straight sets. The Knights move to 8-13 overall and 2-4 in MAC play. Arcadia fell to the Cougars in four sets by scores of 25-14, 30-32, 25-21, and 25-16. In the final match of the day against Cairn, the Knights were edged 32-30, 25-23, and 25-17.

HOW IT HAPPENED

GAME ONE: Misericordia 3 – Arcadia 1
SET ONE: Misericordia 25 – Arcadia 14

• Misericordia jumped out to an early 7-3 lead despite two kills from Josh Clendening. The Cougars extended the advantage to 13-3 with a 6-0 run before Reece Dodd sparked a 3-0 Arcadia run with a kill, followed by an ace from John Valencia and a solo block from Cameron Birch.
• The Knights looked to chip away using Cougar errors along with kills from Tucker Curtis, Birch, and Dodd, but the deficit proved too large as Misericordia secured the opening set, 25-14.

SET TWO: Misericordia 30 – Arcadia 32

• Arcadia took its first lead of the set on a block assist from Dodd and Clendening.
• Back-to-back kills from Curtis and Dodd pushed the lead to 4-2, while Birch added two kills and Clendening contributed a pair to make it 12-8.
• Misericordia responded with a 9-2 run before Luka Erickson and Clendening delivered consecutive kills to give the Knights an 18-17 edge.
• Clendening added a kill and Curtis and Dodd combined for a block to make it 21-20, but the Cougars answered with a 4-0 run. Arcadia responded with a 4-0 run of its own, highlighted by kills from Dodd and Birch and a solo block from Dodd.
• The teams traded points down the stretch before Arcadia capitalized on an error and a final kill from Dodd to take the set, 32-30, and even the match at one set apiece.

SET THREE: Misericordia 25 – Arcadia 21

• After Arcadia took an early 1-0 lead, Misericordia answered with a 4-0 run. The Knights responded with a 3-0 run behind kills from Erickson and Dodd.
• The Cougars followed with a 7-0 run to take control at 11-4 before Arcadia countered with a 6-1 run, including an ace from Clendening and a kill from Curtis.
• Arcadia benefitted from several Misericordia errors, and a kill from Erickson tied the set at 14-14. A 3-0 Knights run gave Arcadia a 19-18 lead.
• Despite a late kill from Dodd, Misericordia closed the set on a 7-2 run to take a 2-1 match lead.

SET FOUR: Misericordia 25 – Arcadia 16

• The Knights opened the set with back-to-back kills from Clendening and Birch, but Misericordia answered with an 8-2 run.
• Kills from Riley Kodidek, Birch, and Erickson, along with a block from Kodidek and Dodd, kept Arcadia within striking distance, but the Cougars maintained control to close out the set and secure the match.

KNIGHT LEADERS

Kills: Birch (10), Clendening (9), Dodd (7)
Aces: Clendening (1), John Valencia (1)
Blocks: Dodd (4), Birch (1), Kodidek (1)
Assists: Kodidek (28), Clendening (2), Curtis (2)
Digs: Birch (10), Clendening (9), Kodidek (7)

GAME TWO: Cairn 3 – Arcadia 0
SET ONE: Cairn 32 – Arcadia 30

• Cairn opened with a 3-0 lead before Arcadia got on the board with a kill from Bryce Lewis and a block from Lewis and Pete Smith.
• Lewis added another kill, and John Eisenlauer followed before the Knights used a 5-0 run, fueled by kills from Luka Erickson and Harrison McCleery, to take an 11-9 lead.
• Eisenlauer later tied the set at 17-17 before Cairn went on a 6-1 run. Facing set point, Arcadia responded with a 6-0 run behind three kills from Lewis, along with kills from Aidan Mackowiak and Smith and an ace from McCleery to take a 25-24 lead.
• The teams exchanged points before Cairn secured the final two to win the set, 32-30.

SET TWO: Cairn 25 – Arcadia 23

• Lewis opened the set with a solo block and added a kill to give Arcadia a 2-1 lead.
• The Knights followed with a 3-0 run, including a kill from Mackowiak, to take a 5-3 advantage.
• Arcadia reached double digits first with a 5-1 run, highlighted by a kill from Erickson and a block from Erickson and Eisenlauer. A 3-0 run, capped by a Mackowiak kill, extended the lead to 13-8.
• Cairn responded with a 7-2 run to tie the set at 18-18.
• McCleery added two late kills, while Erickson and Smith each contributed one, but Cairn closed out the set, 25-23, to take a 2-0 match lead.

SET THREE: Cairn 25 – Arcadia 17

• Cairn surged ahead with an 8-0 run before Birch recorded a kill to get Arcadia on the board.
• Trailing 12-4, the Knights received back-to-back kills from Lewis and Erickson.
• Birch and Lewis added consecutive kills to cut the deficit to 15-9, but Cairn answered with a 6-2 run to extend the lead to 21-11.
• Arcadia continued to battle, with Mackowiak and Erickson recording late kills, while Mackowiak and Dodd added the final points for the Knights, but Cairn closed out the set and completed the sweep.

KNIGHT LEADERS

Kills: Lewis (12), Erickson (5), Mackowiak (5)
Aces: McCleery (1)
Blocks: Lewis (2), Eisenlauer (1), Smith (1)
Assists: Eisenlauer (23), John Valencia (1), Erickson (1)
Digs: Valencia (11), Mackowiak (9), Eisenlauer (6)

UP NEXT

The Knights will hit the road for the penultimate match of the regular season on Wednesday at Hood in Frederick, Md. First serve is set for 7:00 p.m.

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