MECHANICSBURG, Pa. - The Southern Virginia University men's volleyball team was met with perhaps their toughest challenge of the season on Saturday.

After defeating Elizabethtown with ease to post their first win in league play, the Knights fought hard against a fellow top ten team in Messiah. Ultimately, the Falcons prevailed after four close sets.

Match One

Tom Peterson's squad got off on the right foot with a CVC win over Elizabethtown. It marks 23 consecutive wins in the regular season against conference foes, dating back to the early stages of the 2023 season.

In his return from injury, Gehrig Tolman dished out 19 assists and split time with Mark Tomlinson who recorded 13 of his own.

Tommy Forese led both teams with 10 kills and seven digs. Brady Dastrup delivered three aces before Trajan Wadsworth recorded the game-clinching kill to close out the sweep. 

Match Two

In the second half of a back-to-back, the Knights dropped the opening set to Messiah before clawing their way back to even in a thrilling second frame. The next two sets proved just as close, but the Falcons found a way to get the better of the Knights in four sets.

Jason Wang had an efficient match, recording nine kills while hitting .375. Nathan Mitchell took part in four blocks to lead the defense.

Looking Ahead

After suffering just their second loss of the season, the Knights look to regroup ahead of their next matchup on Saturday, February 28th. They'll face Eastern and Lancaster Bible in another back-to-back set.

For the most up-to-date information and details on the team, visit knightathletics.com and follow @knightmvolleyball on Instagram.