SHEBOYGAN, Wis. - The Illinois Institute of Technology men's volleyball team played the first two matches in program history on Friday evening, taking on both Lakeland College and Loras College in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. Tech fell to both host Lakeland and Loras in three sets.

Scores

• Lakeland over Tech 3-0 (25-16, 25-15, 25-14)
• Loras over Tech 3-0 (25-19, 25-10, 26-24)

How it Happened- Lakeland

• Tech's first three points in program history came off Lakeland errors, but the fourth point of the match served as Tech's first kill and assist as a team. Alex Babusci spiked home a set from Sahil Rana to pull Tech within one at 5-4.
• Lakeland went on several runs throughout the rest of the second set to build a ten-point lead at 22-11. Tech traded points the rest of the way until rattling off two straight to stay alive at 24-16. Lakeland earned the 25th point on a Scarlet Hawk service error.
• Tech scored the first point of the second set, once again on an error from Lakeland. However, the Muskies controlled the early portion of the set, building a 12-2 lead.
• The Scarlet Hawks would find some rythym late in the set, scoring four out of five points to pull to within 10 at 21-11. Lakeland held off Tech the rest of the way to earn set two.
• In set three, more Lakeland errors kept Tech involved early. While Lakeland fixed the mistakes mid-set, Tech kills from Rana, Babusci, and Kevin Schroeder kept the Hawks close at 15-8.
• Another Schroeder kill late in the match kept Tech alive before Lakeland took set three on a kill of their own.

How it Happened- Loras

• The Scarlet Hawks started strong. Highlighted by two Babusci aces, Tech enjoyed its largest run of the day of four straight points to go up 4-1. However, Loras responded with a 4-0 run of their own.
• Loras eventually build the advantage to 17-10, but some Tech kills and another Babusci ace pulled the Hawks to within two at 19-17. The Duhawks responded with six of the set's final eight points to win.
• In set two, Loras started fast, scoring five of the first six points. 
• An ace from Julian Salas pulled Tech to within one at 9-7, but the two-point margin was the closest the Hawks would get in the set. A six-point run from Loras put the Duhawks up comfortably, which was too large a margin for Tech to recover from.
• Set three started in Tech's favor, as three aces pushed the Hawks to a 9-4 advantage.
• Loras slowly cut the deficit down to one late, but a Schroeder kill put Tech in a set-point situation at 24-22. However, the Duhawks rattled off four straight points, three on kills, to win the set and match.

Scarlet Hawk Standouts

• Babusci and Schroeder led Tech on the day with seven kills each. Babusci also led the Hawks with six aces and 14 digs.
• Andrew Woltman was Tech's top assist man with 19.
• Kyle Bumpass and Filip Letkiewicz each had two total blocks.

Up Next

• Tech is back in action on Tuesday with the program's first match in the state of Illinois. The Scarlet Hawks will face Robert Morris University at RMU's Convocation Center in Arlington Heights at 7:00 p.m.