ALLIANCE, Ohio - At the McPhearson Academic and Athletic Complex, the Adrian men's volleyball team battled back to force a winner-take-all fifth set, but ultimately came up short to the homestanding Raiders of Mount Union.
After dropping two highly-contested sets to open the evening, the Bulldogs (3-12, 0-2 MCVL) rallied together back-to-back wins in the third and fourth sets.
In the first of those two set victories, the 'Dogs got off on the right foot with a 6-2 run. Despite a quick counter by the home side, the visitors remained poised and eventually strung together another big streak later in the frame. Trailing 14-12, a kill from
Branden Gula sparked a momentum-swinging 6-0 run, which including three service aces by
Chase Heuer. Mount Union, again responded to tie the score at 20-20, but with the help of four kills from Heuer, Adrian held on to win the set.
Subsequently, the Bulldogs opened up another strong cushion to begin the fourth frame, racing ahead 7-1. This time, the black and gold never let the Raiders take the lead, icing the set on back-to-back kills by Heuer and
Peyton Doelling.
In the evening's final set, however, Adrian could not hang on to a 6-2 start, giving way to a gut-punching 4-0 spurt in the closing stages that propelled the hosts to a victory.
The Bulldogs turned in season-highs in both kills (68) and assists (64).
Heuer went off for a match-high 29 successful attacks, and
Tedrick Gula added 16.
Brandon Ravelo chipped in 56 dimes, while Samuel Williams led Adrian with 13 digs.
