Pride strong start doesn't hold in 3-0 loss to No. 5 Park

DUBUQUE, Iowa - Finishing off a busy four-match week where Saturday was also the final day of three-straight days of matches, the Clarke University men's volleyball team fell in a sweep loss to No. 5 Park University in the Kehl Center.

A first set that saw the Pride hold a double set point up 24-22, a CU service error into a Park ace would force extra points as they would score three-straight points after trailing 26-25 to pull out the 28-26 comeback win the set before earning matching 25-14 set wins in the second and third to pull off the 3-0 win.

Coming off of that first set where they had 15 kills and a .211 hitting percentage, Clarke would finish the match with a team hitting percentage of .051 following negative hitting percentages in each of the second and third sets compared to the Pirates hitting for a final team percentage of .276.

PU's Nicolas Tenius finished with a match-high 16 kills on 27 attempts for a strong .407 for the outside hitter with middle Moises Ortiz had nine kills on 14 swings for a .500 hitting percentage for the seven footer who would also added five total blocks, four assists and a solo.

Eduardo Hernandez had the team-high for the Pride in kills for the second-straight match as his seven kills on 17 swings put the junior at a .235 hitting percentage as Tanner May added five kills and a .400 hitting percentage in the middle while adding five blocks of his own at one solo and four assists.

Clarke men's volleyball will wrap up their eight-match homestand with a Tuesday night meetings against Mount Mercy University on Feb. 25 in the Kehl Center with a 7:00 p.m. CT scheduled first serve between the Pride and Mustangs.