MISHWAKA, Ind. — Lawrence Tech dropped a straight-sets road decision at Bethel (Ind.) on Friday night, falling 3-0 by scores of 25-20, 25-17 and 25-18 in men's volleyball action.
The Blue Devils stayed within striking distance for much of the opening set before Bethel put together a late surge. Trailing 21-14 after a service ace from McGwire Eigenrauch, Lawrence Tech answered with a small run to trim the deficit, but the Pilots closed out the frame on a kill from standout outside hitter Thomas Dunkley for the 25-20 result.
Bethel's efficiency at the net proved to be the difference across the match. The hosts finished with 47 kills and a .462 hitting percentage, compared with 29 kills and a .221 mark for Lawrence Tech. The Blue Devils also were edged in the serve-and-pass game, as Bethel recorded four aces to Lawrence Tech's one while also owning a 20–15 advantage in digs and a 5.5–3.0 margin in total block points.
Lawrence Tech continued to battle in the second set but could not slow Bethel's attack. Dunkley again delivered the decisive swing, capping the 25-17 frame with another kill. In the third, the Blue Devils stayed close and trailed just 18-15 when a Bethel service ace, credited as a team play to Dunkley in the official book, stretched the margin. Lawrence Tech kept pushing but the Pilots closed out the match 25-18 on a kill from Ling Pak Him off a set from Eigenrauch.
Setter Pedro Aguiar directed the Blue Devils' offense with 25 assists while adding a kill, a dig and a point. Outside hitter Yegor Volkov led Lawrence Tech at the net, finishing with nine kills on a .500 hitting percentage to go with one block and one dig for 10 total points. The Blue Devils finished with 27 assists as a team and generated 55 total points in the three sets.
Bethel was led by Dunkley's 20 kills on a .586 hitting percentage, along with two service aces, two digs, one block and a match-high 22.5 points. Christian Woumnga added 10 kills on .500 hitting and a service ace, while Eigenrauch ran the Pilots' offense with 38 assists and eight digs.
With the loss, Lawrence Tech leaves Mishawaka looking to build on its offensive bright spots, including Volkov's efficiency and Aguiar's setting performance, as the Blue Devils turn their attention to the next stretch of the schedule.
