### Springfield Men's Volleyball Showcase
Springfield, Ohio — Illinois Tech men's volleyball (1-8) faced a challenging day at the Springfield Men's Volleyball Showcase, earning their first win of the season in their match against Bridgewater College (2-9) before falling to 5th-ranked Southern Virginia University (9-1), and to host Wittenberg University (7-3) in the nightcap on Saturday.
**Game 1: Illinois Tech vs. Bridgewater College**
Illinois Tech secured a 3-1 victory over Bridgewater with set scores of 25-17, 19-25, 25-19, 25-16. The match highlighted Illinois Tech's offensive efficiency with a .217 hitting percentage, recording 45 kills and 7 service aces.
**How It Happened**
Illinois Tech started strong, taking an early lead thanks to kills from
Elijah Johnson,
Kyle Boger, and
Beck Sanders, aided by Bridgewater's errors. After winning the first set 25-17, Bridgewater responded in the second set, led by Aiden Weaver, to secure a 25-19 win. However, Illinois Tech regained control in the third set, led by Hanny and Haufschild, finishing 25-19, and closed the match with a decisive 25-16 victory in the fourth set.
**Scarlet Hawk Standouts**
Tyson Haufschild
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- 11 kills
- three service aces
- two solo blocks
- 16 points
Matthew Michler
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- 28 assists
- five digs
- one service ace
Elijah Johnson
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- three kills on three attempts (1.000 hitting percentage)
- five assists
- one dig
**Bridgewater Top Performers**
Aiden Weaver
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- 16 points
- 14 kills
- 3 total blocks
**Game Notes:**
- This was the first-ever meeting between the Scarlet Hawks and Bridgewater College.
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**Game 2: Illinois Tech vs. Southern Virginia University**
Illinois Tech fell to Southern Virginia in straight sets, 25-18, 25-19, 25-20. Southern Virginia's impressive performance included 11 service aces, significantly impacting the match outcome.
**How It Happened**
Southern Virginia took an early lead in the first set and maintained control throughout, despite efforts from Illinois Tech, including kills from
Paul Henderson and
Bryan Evans. The second and third sets saw Southern Virginia continue to capitalize on Illinois Tech's errors, sealing their victory in the final set with a score of 25-20.
**Scarlet Hawk Standouts**
Maximo Dowling
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- 8 kills with a .467 hitting percentage
- 2 service aces
- 6 digs
- 10 points total
Elijah Johnson
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- 13 assists
- 6 digs
**Southern Va. Top Performers**
Brady Dastrup
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- 16.5 points
- 12 kills
- 3 service aces
**Game Notes:**
- Illinois Tech falls to 0-2 lifetime against Southern Virginia University.
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**Game 3: Illinois Tech vs. Wittenberg University**
Illinois Tech faced another defeat against Wittenberg, losing in straight sets with scores of 25-19, 25-19, 25-21. Despite the loss, the Scarlet Hawks showcased their serving skills with six service aces.
**How It Happened**
Illinois Tech opened the first set with an early lead, but Wittenberg quickly regained control, leveraging errors from Illinois Tech. The second set mirrored the first's competitive nature, with teams trading points until Wittenberg capitalized on crucial mistakes. In the third set, a service run from
Tyson Haufschild briefly gave Illinois Tech hope, but Wittenberg held on for the win.
**Scarlet Hawk Standouts**
Maximo Dowling
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- 13 kills on 29 attempts (0.241 hitting percentage)
- 10 digs
- 16 points
Tyson Haufschild
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- four service aces
- three digs
**Wittenberg Top Performers**
Eli Halverson
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- 12 points
- 10 kills, 0 errors, 16 total attempts (0.625 hitting percentage)
**Game Notes:**
- Illinois Tech falls to 0-6 lifetime against the Tigers.
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**Up Next**
Looking ahead, Illinois Tech will face Governors State University on Tuesday, February 10th at 7 p.m. in University Park, Illinois.
