Blue Devils notch sweep of RedStorm

Rio Grande Sports Information
     RIO GRANDE, Ohio - Lawrence Tech (Mich.) University controlled set two from start to finish and did what it had to do in both the first and third stanzas for a 27-25, 25-21, 25-23 win over the University of Rio Grande as part of the Rio Grande Men's Volleyball Classic, Friday night, at the Newt Oliver Arena.
     The Blue Devils, who also knocked off St. Andrews (N.C.) University earlier in the day, improved to 10-6 with the win.
     Rio Grande slipped to 5-12 as a result of the loss.
     The RedStorm rallied from 23-20 down in set one to tie and then survived a pair of set points before the Blue Devils scored the final two points of the stanza to grab and early match lead.
     Rio never led in set two, although it trailed just 14-13 midway through the period after an LTU attack error. However, the Blue Devils proceeded to score five straight winners to take control of the set and grab a commanding match lead.
     Still, the RedStorm showed signs of life and bolted to an 8-3 lead out of the gate in set three.
     Rio still led 12-8 before the Blue Devils scored 11 of the next 13 points to grab a 19-14 lead of their own.
     Lawrence Tech led 23-17 after Jeffry Fuhrmann kill before the RedStorm made it interesting with four straight points to get within 23-21 - and later 24-23 after a kill by junior Caden Donaldson (Jackson, OH).
     LTU finished things off moments later, though, with kill by Fuhrmann.
     Rio Grande finished with a .165 attack percentage after tallying 37 kills and 20 errors in 103 swings.
     Donaldson led the RedStorm with 19 kills, while sophomores Seth Mohr (Canton, OH) and Bobby Meifert (Bolingbrook, IL) totaled 29 assists and nine digs, respectively.
     Josh Ratusny had 13 kills and Fuhrmann had 12 for Lawrence Tech, which finished with 42 kills and 17 errors over 100 attacks for a .250 swing percentage. Fuhrmann also had two service aces and Ratusny tied teammate Gustavo Heidrich for game-high honors with 11 digs each.
     Simon Phillip had 35 assists for the Blue Devils, while LTU's JT McCarthy also had a solo block and three block assists.
     The two-day Classic wraps up on Saturday with Rio Grande facing fellow Mid-South Conference member Cumberland (Tenn.) University at noon before the Phoenix square off with St. Andrews at 3 p.m.
     Rio will face St. Andrews in the 6 p.m. nightcap.