ROMEOVILLE, Ill. – The No. 12 Lewis University men's volleyball team took down Merrimack College 3-0 Friday (Jan. 19) at Neil Carey Arena. The Flyers dominated many statistical categories, including attack percentage (.478-.080), service aces (10-2), and blocks (9-2).

TEAM RECORDS
No. 12 Lewis 3-2 | Merrimack 0-2

LEWIS LEADERS
Kills: Nathan DeGraaf (Cranberry Township, Penn./Seneca Valley HS) (8), Christian Prayer (St. Louis, Mo./Parkway North) (7), Max Roquet (Johnston, Iowa/Johnston) (7)
Digs: Ryan Collins (Dublin, Calif./Valley Christian) (8), Tyler Morgan (Dike, Iowa/Dike-New Hartford) (5)
Assists: Morgan (31)
Blocks: Piotr Wymoczyl (Arlington Heights, Ill./Buffalo Grove HS) (4), DeGraaf (3)
Aces: Prayer (5), Daniel Haber (Remsenburg, NY/Westhampton Beach) (3)

SET BREAKDOWN
Set 1: Lewis 25, Merrimack 13
Lewis started fast with its defense putting in good work, going ahead 7-1 with three blocks. Later, a 7-5 push from Merrimack cut the deficit to 14-9.

The Flyers then went on a 3-0 run to bring the lead up to eight points, and the teams then went back-and-forth until the Lewis lead was 21-13. From that point, it was all Flyers for the final four points of the set with kills by Roquet, Morgan and Wymoczyl to put it away.

Lewis outhit the Warriors .474-.040 in the opening set.

Set 2: Lewis 25, Merrimack 12
After Merrimack took the opening point, the Flyers took seven of the next nine points to go ahead. The Warriors managed another point before Lewis charged again, taking five points in a row including three service aces by Prayer.

Shortly after, Merrimack went on a 4-2 push to get back within seven points at 16-9. The Flyers then rattled off three straight kills, with two by Prayer.

The Warriors took the next point before Lewis finished the set with a 6-2 charge, as Tyler Morgan (Dike, Iowa/Dike-New Hartford) had the kill to end it. The Flyers' offense was even better in the second set, hitting .647 as Lewis added six aces.

Set 3: Lewis 25, Merrimack 16
Merrimack took a 3-2 lead early in the third set, but the Flyers then surged ahead with a 7-0 run as DeGraaf had two kills and two block assists during the hot stretch. The Warriors responded by taking five of the next seven points to make it 11-8 Lewis.

Lewis was unfazed, though, using a 7-1 run to push the lead to nine points as Michael Sack (Oak Lawn, Ill./St. Laurence) earned a kill and two block assists during this stretch. The sides went back-and-forth from that point to the finish, with DeGraaf earning a kill for match point.

The Flyers' defense was sharp in the final set, using four blocks and several digs to hold Merrimack to a .031 attack percentage.

UP NEXT
Lewis men's volleyball hosts Kentucky State Saturday (Jan. 20) for Fan Choice Night at Neil Carey Arena at 7 p.m. CT.