FORT WAYNE, Ind. – The Trine University men's volleyball team had their five-match win streak broken on Tuesday 3-0 at Indiana Tech in the team's fourth match in four days. The Warriors (14-0) remain unbeaten in 2022 with the win as the Thunder (5-8) were bested 25-20 in all three sets.
Indiana Tech held Trine to a negative hitting percentage in the first set at 10 kills and 11 errors. 5-of-25 points scored by the Warriors came off of blocks in the 25-20 win. A Kyle Dixon [Lockport, Ill. / Lockport Township] service ace put the Thunder up 10-6, but Indiana Tech rattled off six in a row to swing momentum in their favor. Ted Hofmeister [Powell, Ohio / Saint Charles] had three kills in Trine's final 10 points, but it was not enough to overcome the size up front.
Hofmeister, Matt Stillman [Mokena, Ill. / Lincoln Way Central] and Eric Santiago-Garcia [Dorado, Puerto Rico / Glen Ridge] had kills as the Thunder took an early lead once again at 8-6, but another avalanche of scoring by the Warriors allowed the home team to claim a lead that could not be overcome. Kevin Boncaro [Rochester, N.Y. / Rush Henrietta] swung for a pair of kills to bring Trine to within one at 16-15, but Indiana Tech scored nine of the next 14 to go up two sets to zero.
The Thunder had nine kills to just four errors in their best hitting set of the match at .192, but the Warriors also recorded their most efficient hitting in the third as well (.323). Landon Barrow [Noblesville, Ind. / Noblesville] made his presence known in the third set as the team's went back-and-forth in scoring throughout the first 14 points, but it was Indiana Tech who flexed their muscles late to wrap up the third with an 11-6 run and down Trine 25-20 in straight sets.
Hofmeister and Boncaro split the load on offense with eight kills each. Ethan Howard [South Whitley, Ind. / Witko] set up attackers for 20 assists and Hunter Haas [Cincinnati, Ohio / Bishop Moeller] recorded nine digs.
Up next, the Thunder take part in the Wittenberg Triangular versus the host team and Marian University. That event takes place on Sunday, February 27.
