BUFFALO, N.Y. — D'Youville (0-1, 0-0 NEC) fell to Roberts Wesleyan (1-0, 0-0 ECC) in four sets on Thursday at the Saints Center Gym, with scores of 29-27, 20-25, 19-25, 22-25. Despite the loss, the Saints recorded 29 kills and five service aces during the match.

D'Youville started the first set strong, capitalizing on multiple errors from Roberts Wesleyan to gain an early advantage. Midway through the set, Ty Parker (Syracuse, N.Y. / Jamesville-Dewitt) delivered a crucial service ace, extending the Saints' lead to 18-12. Despite a late push from Roberts Wesleyan, the Saints maintained composure. The set concluded with the Saints securing a narrow victory at 29-27, following another decisive service ace by Parker.

The Saints initiated the second set with momentum as Deeraj Varma (Gaithersburg, Md. / Quince Orchard), assisted by Cleveland Brown Jr. (Blacklick, OH / Licking Heights), secured the opening point with a kill. This was followed by a quick 2-0 lead due to an attack error by Roberts. The set remained competitive, with Ethan Robinson (Scarborough, Ontario / Neil McNeil) contributing key points, yet service errors hindered the Saints' ability to maintain a lead.

Roberts capitalized on the Saints' service errors and attack mistakes to gain a lead midway through the set. Despite a late push from the Saints, including a service ace by Skyler Tutor (St. Cloud, FL / St. Cloud), Roberts closed the set at 25-20 with a decisive kill. The match continued with the Saints looking to recover in the subsequent set.

The Saints started the third set with a struggle, falling behind 4-0 after a series of successful plays by Roberts. Luk Markwardt's (Luebeck, Germany / Leibniz Gymnasium Bad Schwartau) kill initiated a comeback attempt at 4-1, and a series of errors by Roberts allowed the Saints to rally, tying the score at 5-5. However, Roberts regained momentum, extending their lead through a combination of kills and the Saints' errors.

The Saints mounted another comeback effort, narrowing the gap to 17-16, highlighted by decisive kills from Robinson and Dempsey Ptaszkiewicz (Cincinnati, OH / Bishop Fenwick). Despite this surge, Roberts' consistent offensive pressure ultimately led them to secure the set with a 25-19 victory. The game concluded with Roberts winning the final set.

The Saints fought to keep pace against Roberts, with Varma contributing significantly through multiple successful kills, including one from Peyton Planz (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Shaler Area) to tie the score at 7-7. Despite a service ace from Planz and a kill by Robinson to narrow the gap, Roberts maintained their lead with strong plays. The set remained competitive with the Saints closing in to 24-22, but a final kill from Roberts ended the set at 25-22, concluding the match.

Parker led the team with a .667 hitting percentage, recording eight kills and contributing three blocks. Planz facilitated the offense with 20 assists, while also adding a service ace. Robinson added nine kills and seven digs, contributing to the team's defensive efforts. Brown Jr. led in defense with nine digs, ensuring stability in the back row.

Looking ahead, the Saints will face Roberts Wesleyan University on Saturday, Jan. 10, at 2 p.m. in Rochester, New York.