Chicago, Ill. — Illinois Tech men's volleyball, behind 1-0 in their home match against Benedictine, had multiple two-point leads in the late stages of the second set with a chance to tie the match. Unfortunately for the Scarlet Hawks, they couldn't hold their final lead of 24-22, losing the next four points to drop set two. The Eagles rode the second set comeback into the final set, and defeated the Scarlet Hawks 3-0 Tuesday night at the Keating Center, with scores of 18-25, 24-26, and 17-25. 

The Scarlet Hawks fell to 6-15 overall and 4-6 in NACC play. The Eagles improved to 12-9 overall and 7-2 in conference.

How It Happened

Illinois Tech started the first set with a service error that helped Benedictine gain an early lead. The teams exchanged points initially, with Maximo Dowling and Sebastian Dominguez securing early kills for the Scarlet Hawks. However, Benedictine took advantage of the Scarlet Hawks' attack errors and service mistakes, stretching their lead to 21-11. Despite a late surge by Illinois Tech, including a service ace by Samuel Goh and kills from Paul Henderson and Jelani Kimoto, Benedictine wrapped up the set with a 25-18 win, aided by a final attack error from Bryan Evans.

The second set was a nail-biter, with Illinois Tech initially gaining momentum thanks to strong plays by Bryan Evans and Paul Henderson. Evans' early kill and Henderson's consistent performance kept the Scarlet Hawks competitive, contributing multiple points to keep the pressure on the visitors. However, Benedictine's Tucker Lambert and Spencer VanEngen led a comeback, with Lambert securing crucial kills during a pivotal sequence. The teams traded points, reaching a 24-24 tie, but Benedictine capitalized on an Illinois Tech attack error and two subsequent kills by Spencer VanEngen and Eoin O'Toole to close the set at 26-24.

Benedictine secured a decisive win in the third set with a 25-17 score, wrapping up the match. Jacob Thomas kicked off Benedictine's momentum with two early kills, both assisted by Spencer VanEngen, putting them ahead 2-0. Paul Henderson responded effectively for Illinois Tech, recording three kills, but service errors and blocks allowed Benedictine to widen their lead. Chris Radomski contributed significantly with three kills, and Benedictine capitalized on multiple service aces. The final point came from a block by Jacob Thomas and Trace Samaras on a Bryan Evans attack, sealing the set and match for Benedictine.

Scarlet Hawk Standouts

Maximo Dowling  
----------------------  
- 11 kills  
- 7 digs  
- 1 service ace  

Paul Henderson  
----------------------  
- 11 kills  
- 6 digs  
- 1 assist  

Samuel Goh  
----------------------  
- 21 assists  
- 6 digs  
- 1 service ace  

Matthew Michler  
----------------------  
- 8 assists  
- 3 block assists  
- 3 kills  

Sebastian Dominguez  
----------------------  
- 4 block assists  
- 1 assist  

Benedictine Top Performers

Chris Radomski
----------------------
- 10 kills
- 12.0 points
- 5 digs

Tucker Lambert
----------------------
- 10 kills
- 12.0 points
- 1 service ace

Spencer VanEngen
----------------------
- 32 assists
- 5 kills
- 7 digs

Game Notes:
- The Scarlet Hawks fell to 1-9 lifetime against Benedictine.
- Paul Henderson recorded 11 kills, surpassing his season average of 6.7.
- Bryan Evans recorded 7 kills, exceeding his season average of 4.05.

Up Next
Illinois Tech will host the University of California, Santa Cruz on Friday, March 27 in River Forest, Illinois. The match is set for 2 p.m.