DEFIANCE, Ohio. - Lawrence Tech powered past Defiance College (Ohio) 3–1 on Saturday afternoon, using a balanced offense and imposing block to earn a road win at the Karl H. Weaner Center in Defiance, Ohio. The Blue Devils took the match by scores of 25–16, 31–33, 25–8 and 25–20, finishing with 59 kills, a .333 hitting percentage and 106 total points.
Outside hitter Yegor Volkov led Lawrence Tech's attack with a team-high 16 kills on .429 hitting, adding 9.0 total blocks and 22 points as the Blue Devils controlled play at the net. Middle Akram Askoul joined the effort with 11 kills on .450 hitting and 6.0 total blocks, helping Lawrence out-block Defiance 15.0–6.0 in block points. Setter Pedro Aguiar directed the offense with 33 assists in three sets, keeping multiple attackers involved as the Blue Devils pulled away after a tight second set.
Lawrence Tech set the tone early, building a steady lead in the opening set behind kills from Volkov, Gustavo Machado and Askoul. The Blue Devils' block quickly became a factor, as Volkov and the front line turned back multiple Defiance swings to disrupt the Yellow Jackets' rhythm. Lawrence closed the first set on a late run to secure a 25–16 win and an early 1–0 advantage.
Defiance answered in a marathon second set that featured multiple ties and lead changes. The Yellow Jackets' offense, led by outside hitters Thaddeus Setla and Matthew Schulte, found its footing as the set moved into extended play. Schulte delivered a key service ace, while Setla and Zack Baker came up with timely kills in deuce points. Defiance finally edged out a 33–31 victory, handing Lawrence Tech its only set loss of the match and leveling the contest at 1–1.
Lawrence Tech responded emphatically in the third. The Blue Devils opened the frame on a 7–0 run and never looked back, riding aggressive swings from Mario Cid, Volkov and Askoul along with continued dominance at the net. Defiance struggled to generate clean looks against the block and committed 28 attack errors on the match, contributing to a .075 team hitting percentage. The Blue Devils rolled to a 25–8 third-set decision, their most lopsided set of the day, to reclaim control at 2–1.
The fourth set remained more competitive, with Defiance pushing to extend the match. Lawrence Tech, however, maintained a slim edge behind timely sideouts and continued production from Cid and Machado on the pins. With the Blue Devils leading down the stretch, Cid delivered the final kill to close out a 25–20 win and seal the 3–1 road victory. Lawrence finished with 42 digs and three service aces, offsetting 15 service errors with consistent pressure from the service line.
Setla paced Defiance with 14 kills, 12 digs and three aces for 17.5 points, while Schulte added 13 kills, four total blocks and 17 points in the losing effort. The Yellow Jackets totaled 37 kills and 77 points in front of 64 spectators. Lawrence Tech's superior efficiency and blocking presence ultimately proved decisive, as the Blue Devils controlled the final two sets to leave Defiance with a 3–1 decision.
