NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. — D'Youville (1-7, 0-0 NEC) fell to Merrimack (2-7, 0-0 DI Independent) in straight sets, 26-24, 25-21, 25-20, on Saturday evening at the Sakowich Center. The match featured a close opening set where both teams battled point-for-point, but D'Youville ultimately could not overcome the Warriors' more efficient attack.

The first set began with D'Youville battling closely against Merrimack. D'Youville saw key moments from Ethan Robinson (Scarborough, Ontario / Neil McNeil) and Skyler Tutor (St. Cloud, FL / St. Cloud), who each recorded kills with assists from Andrew Haber (Whitby, Ontario / Brooklin), keeping the visitors within reach. Despite trailing 20-11 at one point, a late surge characterized by Deeraj Varma's (Gaithersburg, Md. / Quince Orchard) kills and a series of errors from the Warriors allowed D'Youville to level the score at 24-24. However, the Warriors clinched the set with two final points, concluding the set with a narrow 26-24 victory.

D'Youville began the second set with strong offensive plays, highlighted by Ethan Robinson and Ty Parker's (Syracuse, N.Y. / Jamesville-Dewitt) effective kills, assisted by Andrew Haber. D'Youville managed to maintain a competitive edge, especially when they pulled ahead 10-7 after consecutive errors by Merrimack. However, the Warriors responded with a critical service ace and a series of successful attacks, reclaiming the lead at 20-17. Despite D'Youville's efforts to close the gap with Parker's additional kills, the Warriors secured the set, ending with a 25-21 score.

D'Youville opened the third set with a point from a service error by Merrimack, setting a competitive tone. Ethan Robinson delivered key kills with assistance from Andrew Haber, keeping D'Youville closely matched with the Warriors early on. Despite maintaining pressure and capitalizing on Merrimack's errors, momentum swung as a series of attack errors allowed the Warriors to extend their lead. D'Youville fought back with a late rally, including a service ace by Isaiah Tinsley (Holmdel, N.J. / Marlboro), narrowing the gap. However, the Warriors secured the set with a final kill, concluding the game with a score of 25-20 in the Warriors' favor.

Ethan Robinson led the offensive effort with 12 kills on 25 attempts, adding a block assist. Andrew Haber facilitated the team's attack by recording 24 assists while contributing three digs and a solo block. Cleveland Brown Jr. anchored the defense with nine digs over three sets. Dempsey Ptaszkiewicz (Cincinnati, OH / Bishop Fenwick) was effective at the net, tallying four total blocks, including two solo blocks, to complement his two digs.

Looking ahead, D'Youville will head to Rochester, N.Y. on Monday, February 16th. The Saints will have a rematch with Merrimack at 3:00 PM before facing off with the host school, Roberts Wesleyan University at 5:30 PM.