BLOOMINGTON, Ill. –  The Adrian College men's volleyball team concluded the Illinois Wesleyan Quad Saturday afternoon with wins over Maranatha Baptist and Wisconsin Lutheran College to continue a program best 8-4 start on the 2023 campaign. Beck Fieldhouse led all players with 11 kills and six aces for game one. In game two, Fieldhouse would lead all players in kills with 12.  

MATCH ONE
After starting the Illinois Wesleyan Quad 0-2 on Friday, head coach Jose Soto and the men's volleyball team were ready to bounce back on day two of the quad. The Bulldogs would assert their dominance against their first opponent of the day, Maranatha Baptist. During the opening phases of the first set, the Bulldogs recorded a 15-1 run. Andrew Gawrisch would record three kills, while Carson Bell would add on two more kills during the opening spurt against the Sabercats. In the second half of the set, Bulldogs Gawrisch and Fieldhouse would record two kills each, while Gavin Yonker and Micah Low would tally their first kills of the match. Up 24-10 after Lowe's kill, a service ace by Fieldhouse would award the Bulldogs a 25-10 opening set victory over the Sabercats. The Bulldogs would never trail in set one.  

In the second set, Maranatha Baptist adjusted to the energy that the men's volleyball team had brought in the first set. The Bulldogs would see their first deficit of the morning at 4-1 after a quick 4-0 run by the Sabercats. The men's volleyball team would adjust, returning a 6-3 run of their own back to their foes to take a 7-6 lead after a service ace by Bell. Now, with the momentum on their side, the men's volleyball team would record a 10-5 spurt with Jackson Palmitier recording three kills and Bulldogs Jalen Adams, Yonker, and Fieldhouse each supplying individual kills of their own.  With a six point advantage heading into the back end of the set, the Bulldogs pounced on their foes. Fieldhouse recorded three kills and the duo of Bell and Gawrisch added a kill each to give the Bulldogs a 23-15 lead. The junior Yonker would personally conclude the set for the men's volleyball team after two swift kills to give the Bulldogs a 2-0 lead heading into the third set. 

 Maranatha Baptist would not go down without a fight against the men's volleyball team. At the start of the third set, the Bulldogs would find themselves in a five point hole, down 9-4 early. The men's volleyball team would pick up their intensity, sparring a ferocious rally to take a 11-10 lead that forced the Sabercats to call a timeout. During the 7-1 run, Adams, Fieldhouse, and Bell would each record a kill for the Bulldogs. The Bulldogs and the Sabercats would exchange points over the next couple of minutes, with neither team gaining a substantial advantage. Finally, after a service error by Maranatha Baptist, coach Jose Soto and the men's volleyball team would have their foes on their heels. With the combination of a kill by Fieldhouse and another service error by the Sabers, the men's volleyball team would sweep Marthana Baptist 3 sets to none.  

Top Dawgs
The sophomore Fieldhouse recorded a career best six service aces this morning, surpassing his previous career high of three set this season against Saint-Mary-of-the-Woods on January 31. Palmiter also recorded career highs this morning: The freshman out of Hudsonville, Michigan, would notch a career best eight points on seven kills, two blocks, and one dig.  


MATCH TWO
The Bulldogs wouldn't miss a beat, keeping their intensity from their first match against Martha Baptist in the second match of the day against Wisconsin Lutheran College. In the opening set, the men's volleyball team would trail by as little as two and led by as much as five. After a back and forth opening with the score tied at five, the Bulldogs would take command of the set, creating a four point cushion for themselves with a 12-8 lead. After two kills by Palmiter and kills from Yonker and Gawrisch, the Bulldogs created a four point buffer for themselves. However, an 8-2 rally in favor of Wisconsin Lutheran College put the Bulldogs behind by two at 16-14.  At this moment, Adrian College shifted into high gear to close out the set. Palmiter would lead the charge with three straight kills for the Bulldogs, while Jake Witt, Fieldhouse, and Gawrisch added a kill each. The men's volleyball team concluded the set with an 11-3 run to lead 1-0 heading into the second set. 

Maintaining their intensity, coach Soto's Bulldogs would begin the second set by doubling up their foes 10-5 after kills from Fieldhouse, Gawrisch, and Chase Heuer. However, Wisconsin Lutheran would slowly creep back and the Bulldogs saw their lead simmer to a one point advantage at 16-15.  Later on, an attack error would push Wisconsin Lutheran College to the edge of the second set as the Bulldogs would go up 24-22.  Remaining composed, the men's volleyball team would close out the second set 25-23, after a kill by Palmitier. The trio of Palmiter, Fieldhouse, and Gawrisch took matters into their own hands, combining for seven kills during the close out set victory. Palmiter contributed with four kills, Fieldhouse added two, while Gawrisch would have one to help lead the Bulldogs to their last nine points of the set, taking a 2-0 lead into the third. 

During the third, the Bulldogs were ready to end the match by opening up the set with 12-8 and 15-10 leads, with the assistance of a Wisconsin Lutheran attacking error and a kill by Fieldhouse. Capitalizing on yet another attacking error by their opponent, the men's volleyball team would maintain their five point lead at 20-15. Wisconsin Lutheran would claw back, pulling within four points. The Bulldogs were ready for the run. After the next service, Fieldhouse and Bell would record the game-winning block and put an exclamation point on the Bulldogs victory this afternoon.  

Top Dawgs
Fieldhouse led all players with 12 kills and Palmiter followed up with 11 of his own. Additionally, Gawrisch would record a game high 16 assists and freshman Sawyer Baker would record a game high two service aces in the afternoon victory.   

Historical Notes 
With the two victories this afternoon over Marthana Baptist and Wisconsin Lutheran College, the men's volleyball program continued its program best start through 12 games with eight wins and four losses on the season. Additionally, the Bulldogs now lead 4-0 over Marthana Baptist and one match to none over Wisconsin Lutheran College in each of their respective all-time series.   

Up Next 
The men's volleyball team will return to Merillat Sport and Fitness Center to open the Adrian Quad on Friday, February 17 at 5PM against Central State University. Live stream, Live Stats, and ticket information is available under the men's volleyball schedule.