SOUTHFIELD, Mich. — Lawrence Tech University rode an efficient attack and a dominant edge at the net to a 3-1 win over Life University on Friday night at Don Ridler Field House, taking the men's volleyball match 25-20, 25-15, 23-25, 25-18.
The Blue Devils Men's Volleyball team controlled most of the night, outscoring Life 98-78 behind 49 kills and a .347 hitting percentage. Lawrence Tech also owned sizable advantages in blocks (13-6) and aces (7-3), repeatedly turning defensive stops into points in transition to secure the home victory in front of a crowd of 50.
Lawrence Tech set the tone in the opening set, pulling away late to win 25-20. The Blue Devils' pressure forced a crucial error from Life's Serano Keijl that closed the frame and rewarded a steady side-out effort from the hosts. The momentum carried into the second set, where Lawrence Tech used a balanced attack and clean first-contact play to build a comfortable lead before middle blocker Yegor Volkov finished the frame with a kill for a 25-15 decision and a 2-0 match advantage.
Life responded in the third, capitalizing on a brief dip in Lawrence Tech's efficiency. The visitors tightened their block and extended rallies long enough to generate transition chances, with outside hitter Aurelien Lavarini terminating the final ball to give Life a 25-23 win and extend the match. Despite the setback, the Blue Devils still held a healthy statistical edge, and that balance re-emerged in the fourth set.
In the decisive fourth, Lawrence Tech quickly reasserted control at the net. The Blue Devils' block slowed Life's pins, while the offense returned to its early-match rhythm. A key turning point came midway through the set, when opposite Mario Cid drove home a momentum-swinging kill that pushed the lead out and effectively put the frame out of reach. Lawrence Tech closed out the set 25-18 to finish the match in four.
Individually, Lawrence Tech was led by a pair of 17-point efforts from Akram Askoul and Cid. Askoul posted 13 kills on a .688 hitting percentage and contributed at the net with one solo block and six block assists. Cid added 12 kills at a .286 clip, two aces and five total blocks (one solo, four assists), giving the Blue Devils consistent production on the right side. Outside hitter Gustavo Machado supplied another offensive spark with 13 points on seven kills, four aces and two blocks while hitting .312.
Life finished with 35 kills and a .076 hitting percentage on 105 swings, hampered by Lawrence Tech's blocking presence and 36 digs from the Blue Devils' back row. Jakub Kantorowicz paced Life with nine points on eight kills, one ace and a .231 hitting mark, while Charles Ewer also totaled nine points with seven kills and four block assists. However, Life's 20 service errors and five ball-handling errors made it difficult to sustain pressure as Lawrence Tech closed out the match and carried momentum into the upcoming stretch of its schedule.
