CHESTER, Pa. - A stacked home tri-match leads to disappointing losses to national #7 Messiah and Baruch for Men's Volleyball. 

The Pride fall to 12-11 in conference and 0-5 in conference play. 
 

BY THE NUMBERS: MESSIAH 

• Matthew Christ led the attack with 10 kills and an impressive .444 hitting percentage while adding 4 digs and 1 block assist for a total of 10.5 points. 

• Josh Matchett was a key playmaker with 24 assists, 3 kills on 5 swings (.600 hitting percentage), and 3 digs, contributing 3.0 points. 

•  Michael Martino tallied 7 kills and chipped in 3 digs and 2 assists for 7.0 total points. 

•  Christian Wannamaker added 4 kills and 1 assist, contributing to both offense and defense with 1 dig and 14 total receptions. 

•  Stephen Marquis had a well-rounded performance with 3 kills, 1 solo block, and a service ace for 5.0 total points. 

BY THE NUMBERS: BARUCH 

• Matthew Christ was outstanding with a team-high 20 kills, hitting .405. He also added 12 digs and 1 assist, finishing with 20.5 points. 

•  Michael Martino added 19 kills and 9 digs, also tallying 1 service ace, contributing 20.5 points. 

•  Josh Matchett directed the offense efficiently with 56 assists and 7 kills on a .545 hitting percentage. He also totaled 10 digs and 8 block assists for 12.0 points. 

•  Christian Wannamaker delivered 10 kills with a strong .421 hitting percentage, added 8 digs, and led the team with 3 total blocks for 12.5 points. 

•  Stephen Marquis contributed 10 kills while also adding 7 blocks (1 solo) and 2 digs to finish with 14.0 points. 

•  Josh Akinwale had a solid defensive showing with 5 block assists and chipped in 5 kills for a total of 7.5 points. 

•  Libero Jarrett Edwards contributed defensively with 9 digs over 5 sets. 

HOW IT HAPPENED AGAINST MESSIAH 

• Widener opened strong against nationally-ranked Messiah with early kills from Michael Martino and Matthew Christ, keeping the set tightly contested through the midway point. A service ace by Stephen Marquis and a pair of Messiah attack errors helped the Pride take a 6–3 lead. Later in the set, Martino and Christ continued to swing effectively, each finishing with multiple kills, while Josh Matchett facilitated the offense with crisp setting. However, Messiah responded with a late 5–0 run featuring kills from Ryan Givens and Tyler McConnell, seizing momentum. Despite a solid offensive showing (.409 hitting percentage in the set), Widener couldn't regain control, falling 25–21. 

•  The second set started off evenly, with Christ, Martino, and Matchett again combining for efficient attacking plays. Matchett's well-timed sets continued to give hitters quality opportunities. Widener briefly held a 13–11 lead following another Marquis kill and a block assist. However, Messiah took control with a 7–1 run, powered by Givens' service pressure and timely kills from Alex Kagoro and Todd Snyder. Widener struggled to recover, committing three service errors in the final stretch. Messiah closed the set with a 14–1 run to win 25–14. 

•  Widener looked to bounce back in the third set with early offense from Christ and Matchett, who each found gaps in the Messiah defense. An energetic block by Josh Akinwale and Christ halted a Messiah run, bringing Widener within one at 21–20. However, Messiah's experience showed down the stretch, as they closed the set on a 4–0 run fueled by two service aces from Givens. Widener's effort fell short despite another solid showing from Matchett, who finished the match with 24 assists. Final score: 25–14 in favor of Messiah. 

HOW IT HAPPENED AGAINST BARUCH 

• The Pride opened their second match of the day with renewed energy. Widener and Baruch traded leads early, but standout efforts from Christ and Martino, combined with timely blocks from Josh Matchett and Akinwale, gave Widener a late push. Down 22–20, Widener responded with a 4–1 run to earn set point. Christ led the way with six kills in the frame, and Matchett kept the offense flowing with strong distribution. Despite back-and-forth rallies into extra points, Baruch edged out the set, 30–28. 

•  Widener came out determined in the second, dominating from the service line and at the net. Martino and Wannamaker each tallied multiple kills, while Marquis contributed a key solo block. Matchett dished out 11 assists in the set, orchestrating a balanced attack that hit .458. The Pride built a lead midway through and never looked back, finishing on a 5–2 run that included a kill from Marquis and a block from Akinwale. Widener evened the match with a 25–17 win. 

•  The third set saw Widener put together its most efficient offensive effort of the day, hitting a blistering .739 without a single attack error. Christ and Martino continued to dominate on the pins, and Matchett added his own offensive touch with three kills. Marquis and Akinwale contributed defensively at the net, stifling Baruch's attack. With a commanding run midway through, Widener surged ahead and cruised to a 25–20 victory, taking a 2–1 match lead. 

•  The fourth set featured a thrilling back-and-forth battle. Widener opened with a 6–2 run behind Matchett's setting and a service ace from Sandberg. Baruch fought back with strong play from their middles, but the Pride regained a late lead, going up 24–23 after a kill by Martino. However, Baruch held off set point and rattled off three straight to steal the set 26–24, forcing a decisive fifth. 

•  Fatigue began to set in during the fifth, and Baruch capitalized on early Widener miscues to build a lead. Still, the Pride rallied behind Martino and Christ, who tried to mount a comeback with three kills apiece. Matchett added his eighth block assist of the match, and Wannamaker chipped in with two kills. Ultimately, Baruch edged out the set 16–14 to take the match in a tight five-setter. 

UP NEXT 

The Pride continue their season on the road with a match against the Blue Jays of Elizabethtown on Monday, March 24th. First serve is at 7pm.