Defensive Efforts Lead Griffins To A Four-Set Win Over Greenville

GREENVILLE, Ill. – The Fontbonne University men's volleyball team extended its winning streak out to three and swept the season series against Greenville on Tuesday night as they won in four sets (25-16, 22-25, 25-21, 25-18).

The Griffins (11-3; 4-1 MCVL), tallied 45 kills and a .194 hitting percentage on the offensive side of the net. The story tonight, though was its effort once again defensively. The team compiled a season-high 73 digs and 16 block assists.

Individually, Brendon Schwartze and Stephen Lendy both registered a double-double with 10 kills and 14 digs each.

Kyler van Rossum-O'Connell set a new season-high with 33 assists and 13 digs, while the reigning MCVL Defensive Player of the Week, Zach Rothstein, posted a team-high 17 digs. Mark Klusman also added 14 digs and tied Braden Woolsey with a match-high five block assists.

Greenville (5-12; 1-4 MCVL), totaled 51 kills and 75 digs, but couldn't overcome its 16 service errors. Kyle Ward and Nick Corrigan tied with 13 kills each, while Johnny Milabu added 12, to go along with his team-high .375 hitting percentage.

Tanner Smith posted a match-high 46 assists, while Logan Dameris led the group defensively with 18 digs.

In the first set, the Griffins opened with a 10-6 lead on Klusman's kill. Later in the set, Ward's kill put the Panthers down 16-13. However, the Griffins dominated the rest of the way, closing out on a 9-3 run, capped off by Woolsey's kill, giving them the 25-16 win.

The table's turned in the second set. The Panthers took an 11-5 lead on Nick Corrigan's kill. They maintained its marginal lead as the set wore on but the Griffins were right there, down 18-16, on a GU service error.

The Panthers, though stretched its lead back out to 24-19, and despite a late rally from the Griffins, Greenville got a kill from Ward to wrap-up the 25-22 win.

After GU led early in the third, the two teams met-up at 15-15 on Emir Hadzisalihovic's kill. Greenville took the advantage back at 17-16, however, the Griffins rattled off a 4-0 run, three of those points coming on block assists from Woolsey and Klusman, giving Fontbonne a 20-17 lead. The Griffins never looked back from there and cruised to the 25-21 win.

This time around in the fourth, the Griffins led 10-6 but Greenville went on to meet-up with them at 11-11 on Corrigan's kill.

Fontbonne responded with a 3-0 run and expanded its lead out to 21-15 on Kyler van Rossum-O'Connell's kill. It was smooth sailing from there as the Griffins went on for the 25-18 set and match win.

The team returns to action in front of the home crowd this weekend. First-up is a 7 p.m., outing against Concordia-Wisconsin.

Fans make sure to stay updated on fontbonnegriffins.com throughout the year for full updates and recaps on the men's volleyball team.