GRANTHAM, Pa. - The Messiah men's volleyball team picked up a pair of victories over the Eastern Eagles on Saturday afternoon winning both by identical 3-1 final scores. In both matches, Messiah claimed the first two sets, before the Eagles extended the matches by winning the third. The Falcons ultimately closed out both matches to improve to 11-1 on the season.
 
Messiah claimed the first match by a 3-1 (25-17, 25-20, 22-25, 25-10) final score, before claiming the second match by a 3-1 (25-9, 25-22, 25-21, 30-28) final.
 
Mason Nissley continued his hot hitting ways, leading the Falcons in kills in both matches with 11 and 14, respectively, despite only playing four sets on the day. On the day, Matt Knab gave out 63 assists across seven sets.
 
The Falcons will be back in action on Wednesday when they host the Alvernia Golden Wolves at 7:30 p.m. in Hitchcock Arena.
 
Match One - Messiah defeats Eastern 3-1 (25-17, 25-20, 22-25, 25-10)
The Falcons claimed the opening set with a 25-17 victory thanks to a .458 team hitting percentage in the set. Messiah jumped out to a quick 10-4 lead. After the Eagles closed the gap to three at 13-10, the Falcons rallied with another 10-4 run to take a 23-14 lead. Just a few points later, a rare Owen Hanzelman dig, attack, kill ended the set at 25-17 and gave Messiah a 1-0 lead.
 
Messiah put the pedal to the metal at the beginning of the second set, jumping out to an 8-1 lead thanks to three service aces from senior Matt Knab. That lead eventually ballooned to as many as nine at 11-2, but the Eagles put up a fight. A 9-2 Eastern run in the middle of the set helped closed Messiah's lead to just four at 18-14, but the Falcons had enough left in the tank to hold on for the 25-20 victory in the set.
 
Leading 2-0, Messiah was looking to close out the match, but turned in their worst statistical set in the third. The Falcons swung at a .174 clip, their lowest of any set on the day and dropped the set 25-22. The loss forced a fourth set, but the Falcons controlled play throughout what turned out to be the fourth and final set. Messiah hit an astounding .727 rate in the final set with nine kills on just 11 swings. The Falcons took advantage of eight hitting errors by the eagles in the set.
 
Individually, Mason Nissley led the Falcons offensively in the first match with 11 kills in just two sets. Both Ian Parzyszek and Nate Bowman hit at .750 clips with Parzyszek collecting six kills and Bowman with nine. Matt Knab dished out 33 assists in the match.
 
Match Two - 3-1 (25-9, 25-22, 25-21, 30-28)
The Falcons picked up right where they left off in the first match, taking the opening set by a 25-9 score. Messiah hit .300 in the set, but took advantage of a -.235 hitting percentage from Eastern to take a commanding 1-0 lead.

The second set was far closer, with Eastern outhitting Messiah for the first time on the day in a set, .259 to .241. The Falcons had to battle their way back, trailing slightly for the first-half of the set. Messiah was a step behind at 15-14, but just a few points later the game was level at 17-17. The two sides traded control for the next few points with the set tied at 18s, 20s, and 22. Messiah pulled out the victory thanks to an Eastern service error, a kill from Nate Bowman, and a service ace from Matt Knab.
 
Like the first match, Messiah faltered in the third set, dropping the game 25-21. Things remained bleak late in the fourth set with the Falcons trailing 22-15. Matt Knab started a wild rally with a setter dump for a kill to make it 22-16.  The Falcons then went on to claim the next six points to tie things up at 22-22.
 
Eastern then went up by two at 24-22, but the Falcons responded with two of their own to set up extra volleyball. Eastern and Messiah then traded the next seven points until three-straight Mason Nissley kills ended the match with Messiah earning the 30-28 set victory.
 
Nissley once again led the Falcons with 15 kills while only appearing in two sets.
 
What's Up Next
With a pair of victories, it moves Messiah to 11-1 overall this season. The Falcons have only four matches remaining on the season with two against Alvernia and two against Wilkes. Messiah will be back on the court this Wednesday when they host the Alvernia Golden Wolves at 7:30 p.m. in Hitchcock Arena. Alvernia is 5-5 on the season.