Box Score

The Carthage College men's volleyball team (8-1, 0-0 Continental Volleyball Conference), ranked first in the Feb. 14 American Volleyball Coaches Association NCAA Division III poll, extended its winning streak to eight matches on Friday, Feb. 17 by upsetting NCAA Division I Indiana-Purdue at Fort Wayne (7-5), 3-1, at the Hilliard Gates Sport Center in Fort Wayne, Ind.  The Red Men's winning set scores were 20-25, 29-27, 25-18 and 26-24.  The Mastodons were ranked 16th in the Feb. 13 AVCA NCAA Divisions I-II poll.
 
Indiana-Purdue broke out to a 10-5 lead in the first set.  Carthage pulled to within two, 12-10, but IUPU maintained at least a three-point margin the rest of the way, en route to a 25-20 decision.  The second set turned into a real battle.  The Red Men fell behind, 7-3, before tying things up, 8-8.  The score was tied again at 14-14 and 20-20 before Carthage took a two-point lead, 22-20.  The Red Men were still up by two, 24-22, until the Mastodons tied the score, 25-25.  Following ties at 26-26 and 27-27, Carthage took the final two points for a 29-27 win. 

Leading in the third set by an 11-9 margin, the Red Men opened up a six-point lead, 19-13.  Carthage extended its margin to eight, 22-14, and won by seven, 25-18.  IUPU jumped out to a 9-4 lead in the fourth set.  The Red Men closed to within two, 15-13 and 16-14 before the Mastodons went up by five, 20-15.  At that point, Carthage erupted with an 11-4 run to win the set, 26-24, and the match by a 3-1 margin.

Randy Hansen (Sr., Oak Lawn, Ill.) led the Red Men with 17 kills and a .324 attack percentage.  Matt Yanz (Sr., Bolingbrook, Ill./Naperville-Central) had 10 kills and hit .364, while Pat Barry (So., Skokie, Ill./Wilmette-Loyola Academy) added 10 kills and four block assist.  Tyler Frings (Sr., Hubertus, Wis./Milwaukee-Pius XI) had nine kills, hit. 643 and added six block assists.  Setter Connor Wexter (So., New Lenox, Ill./Lincoln-Way Central) averaged 11.25 assists per set.  Ivan Matos topped the Mastodons with 14 kills and a .345 attack percentage, while Ramon Burgos and Eddie Rivera collected 10 kills each.

On Sunday, Feb. 19, the Red Men take on NCAA Division I foe, No. 8 and defending-national-champion Ohio State University (10-4) in a 3 p.m., EST match at St. John Arena in Columbus, Ohio.