Calvin Slips Past Tigers, 3-1
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
25 | 21 | 27 | 29 | 3 |
|
|
17 | 25 | 25 | 27 | 1 |
Team Stats
Calvin
| Game Statistics | Calvin | Wittenberg |
|---|---|---|
| Hitting % | .321 | .177 |
| Blocks | 14.0 | 2.0 |
| Digs | 43 | 43 |
| Aces | 4 | 1 |
SPRINGFIELD, OH – Facing off against a much-improved Calvin team, Wittenberg Men's Volleyball lost in a nail-biter to the visiting Knights, 3-1, on Saturday, Feb. 21, in their second Midwest Collegiate Volleyball League (MCVL) match of both the weekend and the 2026 season in a contest played in Wittenberg's 1929 Fieldhouse, part of the Health, Wellness & Athletics Complex.
A couple of plays going the Tigers' way could have turned the tables in their favor. However, Calvin made the key plays at the net, winning some important points on blocks to come away victorious by set scores of 25-17, 21-25, 27-25, and 29-27.
After the teams split the first two sets, the final two sets were back and forth throughout, with neither team grabbing a big lead, and while most stats were close on paper, the difference was Calvin's net advantage. The Knights tallied 14 blocks in the match to just two for Wittenberg. As a result, the Knights out-hit the Tigers overall, .177 to .321, and had the edge in points, 67-54, to pull off the close win.
With the loss, Wittenberg drops to 10-5 overall and 1-1 in the MCVL. Calvin, which was picked to finish seventh in the 10-team league, goes to 10-2 overall and 4-0.
Eli Halverson (Hamilton, OH / Badin) was nearly unstoppable again, turning in another big match for the Tigers with 19 kills and 20 points. Zach Newton (Morgantown, IN / Franklin Community) also hit double digits in the kill department with 10 on the day for 10 points.
Gavin Hagerty (Fishers, IN / Fishers) led the team in assists with 25, and Carson Hill (Liberty Township, OH / Lakota East) picked up 15. Hill also anchored the defense, leading the team in digs with 10. Jake Downs (Cincinnati, OH / Milford) added nine digs.
Team Comparison
- Wittenberg had 51 kills on 130 total attacks for a .177 hitting percentage, along with 46 assists, one service ace, 43 digs, and two blocks.
- Calvin had 49 kills on 112 total attacks for a .321 hitting percentage, along with 43 assists, four service aces, 43 digs, and 14 blocks.
Up Next
Wittenberg will take a break from conference play when the Tigers travel to Greenville College in Illinois to take on host Greenville at noon and Bryant & Stratton at 2 p.m. (CDT) on Saturday, Feb. 28.
Written by: Cindy Holbrook