BUFFALO, N.Y. – The D'Youville University Saints Men's Volleyball team played their final game of the 2024 season falling 3-1 to the Merrimack College Warriors at home.   

D'Youville University 1 vs Merrimack College 3 – 22-25, 25-22, 22-25, 18-25
Set One
The Saints started off strong on the day jumping up 5-0 in set one following kills from Shaun Vattakuzhiyil (Sugar Land, TX / Elkins) and Ian De Wilde (Lockport, N.Y. / Starpoint). D'Youville extended their lead to 11-4 following a kill from Ethan Robinson (Toronto, Canada) and a Warriors error. Merrimack started to come back putting together a three-point run followed by a six-point run to take the 20-18 lead. Kills from De Wilde and Robinson helped keep the Saints alive, but Merrimack would take the first set 25-22.

Set Two
The Saints gained the 6-3 lead in set two after Ethan Robinson delivered back-to-back kills, but again the Warriors fought back to tie the game at 11. A kill and a service ace from Shaun Vattakuzhiyil along with a Warriors error put the Saints ahead again 14-12.

As gameplay continued the lead went back and forth between teams until the Warriors tied the game at 22. A service error along with kills from De Wilde and Vattakuzhiyil gave the Saints the 25-22 win in set two.
 
Set Three
D'Youville carried their momentum into set three jumping up 6-3. A big kill from Ian De Wilde put the Saints ahead 12-9, but the Warriors continued to fight back. A kill from Vattakuzhiyil put the Saints up 21-19, but Merrimack managed a five-point run to take the 24-21 lead. Vattakuzhiyil would record one more kill before the Warriors would take set three 25-22.

Set Four
Set four started close with both teams tied at four. The Warriors managed another five-point run to go up 9-4. As play continued the Saints got within two at 16-14 following a kill from Tymek Brzoza (Tychy, Poland), but the Warriors went back on attack scoring four-in-a-row to extend their lead back to 20-14. Ian De Wilde would record the last kill for the Saints before the Warriors took set four 25-18 and the match 3-1.

Saints Stats
Shaun Vattakuzhiyil led the Saints offense with 13 kills while Randy Adorno (Bayamon, Puerto Rico / Winter Park) had another big game as the setter with 39 assists. Haven Wankerl (Cross Plains, Wisc. / Middleton) recorded five blocks and two aces in the match.