ROCHESTER, N.Y. — D'Youville (0-2, 0-0 NEC) fell to Roberts Wesleyan (2-0, 0-0 ECC) in straight sets, 33-31, 25-14, 25-17, on Saturday afternoon at the Voller Athletic Center. The match featured a high-scoring first set where D'Youville posted a .344 hitting percentage with 15 kills.

D'Youville opened the match with a solid start, capitalizing on the Redhawks' attack errors to lead 2-0. Andrew Haber (Whitby, Ontario / Brooklin) facilitated pivotal plays, assisting Ethan Robinson (Scarborough, Ontario / Neil McNeil) and Dempsey Ptaszkiewicz (Cincinnati, Ohio / Bishop Fenwick) in securing kills that maintained the lead. Despite a series of service errors, D'Youville maintained composure through effective blocks by Ty Parker (Syracuse, N.Y. / Jamesville-Dewitt) and Samuel Pizarro-Amaya (Seattle, Wash. / Shoreline), which halted the Redhawks' momentum.

As the set progressed, D'Youville faced a comeback push from the Redhawks, who managed to tie the score multiple times. Deeraj Varma's (Gaithersburg, Md. / Quince Orchard) crucial kills helped D'Youville regain the lead, but the set remained tight. In a dramatic conclusion, the Redhawks edged out D'Youville, finishing the set 33-31.

D'Youville opened the second set with a brief advantage, capitalizing on a service error from the Redhawks and an attack error to take a 1-0 lead. Varma delivered two key kills, maintaining a tie at 4-4 and later securing a 7-6 lead for D'Youville. However, the Redhawks responded decisively with a series of successful plays, including multiple kills, along with timely service aces, which shifted momentum in their favor.

D'Youville's efforts to regain control saw Robinson and Pizarro-Amaya contributing with significant kills, yet it was not enough to overturn the deficit. As the set progressed, the Redhawks solidified their advantage, culminating in a 25-14 finish for the set.

D'Youville faced a challenging third set as the Redhawks' early momentum was fueled by two consecutive service aces, setting the tone for the set. D'Youville managed to respond with key plays from Pizarro-Amaya, who recorded kills at crucial moments to keep the team competitive. Despite their efforts, including a series of points from Varma and Peyton Planz (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Shaler Area), D'Youville struggled to maintain consistent momentum against the Redhawks' strong defensive plays and service aces. The set concluded with the Redhawks securing the set 25-17, ending the game with a 3-0 victory.

Varma led the team with 11 kills on 26 attempts, contributing a total of 11 points. Pizarro-Amaya posted seven kills and recorded five digs, adding to his tally of 8.5 points. Robinson collected six kills and contributed defensively with two digs and three total blocks. Planz achieved a perfect attack percentage with two kills on two attempts, while also adding five assists in his single set appearance.

Looking ahead, D'Youville will face Dominican University of New York on Friday, Jan. 23 at 7 p.m. The match will take place in Orangeburg, New York.