ALLIANCE, Ohio-- Mount Union's men's volleyball team played a double header, first against Baldwin Wallace, then against Buffalo State, on Saturday, February 21st.
 
Match one vs Baldwin Wallace was a loss in five sets, with sets going 25-23 Mount, 25-13 BW, 25-21 Mount, 28-26 BW, and 15-12 BW. Match two vs Buffalo State was a loss in four sets, with sets going 25-19 Buffalo State, 25-21 Buffalo State, 25-22 Mount Union, and 25-20 Buffalo State.
 
The Purple Raiders were led in match one by Senior Michael Bowler (Broadview Heights), who finished with 12 kills, four digs, and six blocks. Freshman Luke Pemberton (Jackson) added seven kills, six digs, and three blocks for the Raiders. Freshman Drew Stein (Columbus) led the team in assists with 20. As a team, Mount Union finished with a .175 hit percentage. Baldwin Wallace was led by Daniel Latham who had 17 kills, four service aces, and nine digs.
 
Set one was tight the whole way, with Mount Union ending up on top 25-23 while also being a balanced performance from the Raiders with Luke Pemberton, Michael Bowler, and Sam Morrison all having multiple kills. Set two was a dominant win for Baldwin Wallace, they won it 25-13, but Mount Union came right back in set three by taking a big lead and never giving it up, ultimately winning 25-21 and being up 2-1 in sets after three. Set four was close all the way, with Mount Union taking Baldwin Wallace past 25, but the Yellow Jackets ended up winning it 28-26 to send us to a fifth set.
 
Mount Union came out strong in the fifth set, taking an 8-4 lead, but BW came right back to take a 10-9 lead. Mount Union quickly tied it back up at 10 a piece then BW scored three straight to take a 13-10 lead that forced Mount Union into a timeout. The teams traded points after the timeout up until it finished as a 15-12 win for Baldwin Wallace in the final Set.
 
In match two against Buffalo State, the two teams had a close start, getting out to a 4-4 score. Buffalo State then went on a run, scoring three straight to make it 7-4. The teams traded points until Buffalo State was the first to ten, leading 10-7 at that point. Mount Union answered to tie the first set back up at 10 a piece then took an 11-10 lead that was immediately taken back by Buffalo State who got three straight to take a 13-11 lead. Buffalo State then got that out to a 16-12 lead which led into a Mount Union timeout. Buffalo State was able to ride that lead to a set one win by a score of 25-19.
 
Buffalo State was the first to five in set two and had a lead of 5-3. Mount Union fought back to tie it up at eight a piece then took the lead and made it a 10-8 Mount lead after a 4-0 run. The Raiders kept it rolling and go it out to a 14-10 lead which forced Buffalo State to call a timeout. Buffalo State was able to get it within one, at an 18-17 Raider lead, then Mount Union pushed it back out to a 19-17 lead which led into another Buffalo State timeout.
 
Buffalo State came out strong after the timeout and tied it up at 20, then took a 22-21 lead that they rode to a set two win by a score of 25-21.
 
Set three was very close, with the sides trading points and neither side leading by more than one until being tied all the way at thirteen a piece. Mount Union took the first lead by two or more at 15-13. Buffalo State tied things back up at 16-16, then Mount Union took the lead back winning five of the next six points and leading 21-17. Buffalo State fought back into it, getting within one and trailing 23-22. Mount Union then took two straight to win the third set 25-22.
 
Set four saw Buffalo State get out to an early 7-4 lead. Buffalo State held that lead until 11-11 where Mount Union tied it back up. Buffalo State took the lead back immediately with three straight points won to make it 14-11. Buffalo State got their lead up to five after making it 18-13. After a Mount Union timeout, Buffalo State kept it rolling and got the lead up to 20-13. The Raiders went on a run of their own, winning seven of the next nine points to get it to a 22-20 deficit. Buffalo State then won the final three points needed to finish the job and win the set as well as the match.
 
Senior Michael Bowler (Broadview Heights) led the Raiders with 14 kills and 10 digs, Junior Peyton Koszelak (Eden, NY) had 15 digs, and Freshman Drew Stein (Columbus) finished with a team leading 23 assists. Gavin Wilczewski led Buffalo State with 12 kills.
 
Mount Union Men's Volleyball will play again next Saturday on February 28th against Wabash College at home.