CHESTER, Pa.  – A.J. Sungenis set program records in kills and hitting percentage, but the Widener University men's volleyball team dropped a heartbreaker to the Maranatha Baptist Sabercats 3-2 on Friday night.
 
BY THE NUMBERS

• Sungenis turned in arguably the best performance ever in program history, recording a double-double with a record 31 kills to go along with 10 digs. He committed just seven errors and hit .348 for the match.
• Billy Barclay and Wil Cacciatore also posted double-doubles. Each had 10 digs with Barclay coming up with 47 assists and Cacciatore recording 18 kills.
• Connor Johnson set a team record with 25 digs in the match.
• Kyle Minder led the team with three blocks. Dave Lehmann and Matt Lambert each posted a pair of service aces.

 
FIRST SET HIGHLIGHTS (Widener 26, Maranatha Baptist 24)

• The two teams played very evenly, but the Sabercats continually maintained a slight edge until Widener went on a 9-3 run with three of the last four coming on Sungenis kills to go up 20-16.
• MBU battled back, knotting the score at 23-23 before the Pride closed the set, scoring three of the final four points.
• Sungenis recorded 10 kills in the set against just one error in 16 attacks, resulting in a .643 hitting percentage.
• As a team, Widener hit .342 and made just two errors.

 
SECOND SET HIGHLIGHTS (Widener 26, Maranatha Baptist 24)

• After the Blue and Gold scored the opening two points of the frame, the Sabercats went on an 8-3 run to take a three point lead.
• The Pride used an 8-1 run of its own only to see Maranatha Baptist rip off four in a row to tie the set at 13-13.
• Trailing 23-22, Widener rallied as a kill and an ace by Matt Blaum pushed things to set point. MBU tied it at 24-24, but a Sungenis kill and a block by Minder won the set for the Pride.
• Sungenis continued to dominate, hitting .636 on the strength of seven kills and no errors in 11 attacks.
• Cacciatore started to find his rhythm, posting five kills.
• Barclay came up with half of his digs for the match in the set.

 
THIRD SET HIGHLIGHTS (Maranatha Baptist 25, Widener 20)

• The Pride started the set well, scoring the first four points.
• MBU slowly chipped away, pulling to 15-14 before scoring 10 of the final 16 points to win the frame.
• Johnson came up on the defensive side with seven digs.

 
FOURTH SET HIGHLIGHTS (Maranatha Baptist 25, Widener 14)

• The Sabercats took control of the set from the start, going up 10-6 and then 16-9 before a Widener push cut the lead to four.
• Undaunted, MBU used a 9-2 run to close the stanza and force a deciding set.
• Sungenis posted four kills in the frame.

 
FIFTH SET HIGHLIGHTS (Maranatha Baptist 21, Widener 19)

• In an epic fifth set, neither team held more than a two point edge with nine lead changes.
• Maranatha Baptist trailed 12-10 before scoring four in a row to set up match point.
• Fighting off elimination, Widener saved five match points and held a 19-18 lead before MBU rallied to net the final three tallies of the set to claim victory.

 
UP NEXT
Widener has a short turnaround as the Pride faces Misericordia in a MAC battle on Saturday, March 24. Opening serve is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.