ROMEOVILLE, Ill. – Lewis University's fourth ranked men's volleyball team overcame an 0-2 deficit to reverse sweep Purdue Fort Wayne on Saturday evening at Neil Carey Arena. The Flyers improve to 8-1, 3-1 MIVA while the Mastodons drop to 2-4, 2-4 MIVA.

The opening set went back-and-forth featuring 15 ties and four lead changes. Lewis trailed by as many as four points in the set but came back to take a 21-19 after a kill from Tyler Mitchem (Bolingbrook, Ill./Bolingbrook HS). Purdue Fort Wayne responded scoring five of the next six points to get to set point after a kill from Pelegrin Vargas.

The Flyers fought off two set points thanks to back-to-back kills from TJ Murray (Barrington, Ill./Barrington HS) and Ryan Coenen (Franklin, WI/Franklin) but couldn't get over the hump as the Mastodons had three more chances and eventually won 28-26 on a block by Richie Diedrich and John Diedrich.

Lewis again held a late lead in set two but was unable to close it out as Purdue Fort Wayne went on a 5-3 run to get to set point when J. Diedrich blocked Coenen. Coenen kept the Flyers alive in the set with back-to-back kills but the Mastodons were able to hang on and win again by a 28-26 margin.

Lewis used a 7-2 run midway through the middle frame to break a 12-all tie and seize control of the set. Purdue Fort Wayne wouldn't get closer than four points the rest of the set as the Flyers went onto win 25-18 to extend the match.

The fourth frame was similar to the third one with it being close until about the midway point when Lewis went on a 6-1 run to extend its lead to 19-13 on a kill from Kyle Bugée (Cupertino, Calif./Homestead). The Mastodons wouldn't get closer than five as the Flyers won 25-18 to force the winner take all fifth set.

In the finale, Purdue Fort Wayne led 8-5 at the changeover but Lewis ran off three straight points to even it up. Mitchem and Bugée teamed up for a block and then Bugée knocked down a kill. The two sides swapped the next eight points and were still tied at 12.

The Mastodons took advantage of an error and then R. Diedrich and Vargas teamed up to block Coenen to set up match point. Coenen kept the Flyers alive with a kill and then Vicente Ibarra missed on his attack attempt to even the set at 14. Bugée blocked R. Diedrich to give Lewis its first match point and then Bugée, Murray and Kevin Kauling (Naperville, Ill./Neuqua Valley) teamed up to stuff Vargas at the net to give the Flyers a 16-14 victory.

Lewis hit .302 for the match recording 65 kills against 23 errors in 139 chances and was led by Coenen with 21 kills. Bugée finished with a double-double recording 15 kills and 13 digs while Mitchem added 14 kills. Kauling handed out 57 assists.

Purdue Fort Wayne had an attack percentage of .234 registering 57 kills against 25 errors in 137 swings. Ibarra finished with a match-high 22 kills while Vargas added 15 kills. Sean Califf had 50 assists and 11 digs.

The Flyers continue their homestand next Friday (Feb. 26) hosting McKendree at 7 p.m.