ROCKFORD, Ill. – The Trine University men's volleyball team claimed their first victory in the 2022 season over Rockford University on Friday night in straight sets.
The Thunder (1-7) held the Regents (0-6) to 16 points or fewer in all three sets for a dominating win all around.
Trine started the first set blazing hot by hitting .652 with 17 kills to just two errors. Kevin Boncaro [Rochester, N.Y. / Rush Henrietta] collected three kills in the first four Thunder points and went up 6-1 to open the match. Kyle Dixon [Lockport, Ill. / Lockport Township] chipped in with two early points as Rockford was forced to call for time down 9-2.
The teams traded points midway through the first and at the end, Trine was able to pull away. The Thunder scored eight of the final 12 points in a 25-13 set one victory that was capped off just as the set started, by a Sam Buckingham [Saginaw, Mich. / Nouvel Catholic Central] kill.
Once again, an early 6-2 Trine lead made the Regents regroup with a timeout. Landon Barrow [Noblesville, Ind. / Noblesville] kept the momentum going with a service ace to make it 10-4 and Ted Hofmeister [Powell, Ohio / Saint Charles] followed that up a few points later with one of his own. In total, the Thunder served up 10 aces in the match, a season-high.
Nick Woolley [Plainfield, Ill. / Plainfield North], Ryan McDonald [New Lenox, Ill. / Lincoln Way West] and Sam Bhandal [Marysville, Wash. / Marysville] all notched points to close the 25-16 set two victory.
Landon Henderson [Angola, Ind. / Angola] was able to serve up back-to-back aces in the third to set Trine out in front yet again 6-1, the first two points of the freshman's career. Dominic Saenz [Wall Twp., N.J. / Wall] was able to get on the board early as well en route to five third set points. Dixon was able to keep the pressure on the Regents defensively with six points in the final frame.
Freshman Ethan McLenon [Overland Park, Kans. / Saint James Academy] was able to put a tally on the stat sheet with a kill to double the opponent's score in the third, 20-10. Buckingham finished off Rockford with by slamming home the final kill in a 25-12 match-clinching third.
Dixon tallied a season-high 14 kills and led the Thunder overall with 15.0 points. Ethan Howard [South Whitley, Ind. / Witko] appeared in all three sets and led Trine with 20 assists and seven digs defensively.
The Thunder return home to Hershey Hall for their next match versus Concordia University Chicago on Saturday, February 5 at 1 pm.