ADRIAN, Mich. -- The Adrian College men's volleyball team put together a competitive effort but came up short Saturday night, falling to Concordia Chicago in four sets at the Merillat Center, 25-19, 22-25, 25-14, 25-23.

After dropping the opening set, the Bulldogs responded with a strong showing in the second. Adrian hit .361 in the frame and totaled 16 kills, using a balanced offensive attack to even the match at one set apiece. Sam Landers and Dominic Rees played key roles in the surge, helping the Bulldogs control the tempo and limit Concordia Chicago's momentum.

The third set proved to be the turning point. Concordia Chicago jumped out early and never looked back, holding Adrian to a -.037 hitting percentage in the set. The Bulldogs managed just eight kills while committing seven errors, allowing the Cougars to cruise to a 25-14 win and regain control of the match.

Adrian regrouped in the fourth and battled point-for-point late into the set. The Bulldogs recorded 11 kills in the frame and fought off several runs, but Concordia Chicago capitalized in the closing moments to secure the 25-23 set win and the 3-1 match victory.

Landers led Adrian's offense with 19 kills, while Rees added 12 kills and a team-high 12 digs for a double-double. Andrew Graczyk directed the offense with 36 assists and chipped in six digs, while Carles Baza paced the net defense with four blocks. Carson Bell and William Morris also made an impact at the net with three blocks each. As a team, Adrian finished with 48 kills and 59 total points, narrowly edging Concordia Chicago in both categories. However, the Bulldogs were hurt by 19 attack errors and a .238 team hitting percentage, compared to the Cougars .299 clip.

The Bulldogs men's volleyball team will be back in action Friday as they open MCVL conference play on the road at Calvin at 7:00 PM.