BEREA, Ohio – The Baldwin Wallace University men's volleyball team took on Wittenberg University for a Midwest Collegiate Volleyball League contest in the Ursprung Gymnasium inside of the Lou Higgins Center. The Yellow Jackets defeated the MCVL unbeaten Tigers by final set scores of 25-23, 25-19, and 25-21.

BW (20-6, 3-0 MCVL) was led by junior All-MCVL outside hitter Michael Beard (Hilliard/Darby) as he posted a match-high 16 kills and added nine digs and three total blocks. Freshman libero Aiden Kim (Bothell, Wash./North Creek) notched nine digs while junior setter Brandon Long (Hinckley/Metea Valley, Ill.) dished out 32 assists and added six digs.

Wittenberg (14-9, 3-1 MCVL) was led by freshman outside hitter Eli Halverson as he totaled a team-high nine kills, hitting .421 and added nine digs and three blocks. 

1st Set

• After a big block on the left side by Wittenberg, Tigers went up 12-9 and forced the home team to its first timeout
• A kill in the middle by freshman Josh Steinitz (Towson, Md./Friends School of Baltimore) and a backrow kill by Beard tied the game back up at 13-13
• A big block in the middle by freshman Colby Whiteside (Powell/Olentangy Liberty) and Beard put the Yellow Jackets up 21-17, causing Wittenberg to call its second timeout
• Wittenberg closed the gap to just one point (24-23 BW), but a kill by junior outside hitter Nick Reilman (Medina/Walsh Jesuit) on the outside earned BW the first-set win by a 25-23 score 

2nd Set

• A kill by junior right side hitter Nick Mazzone (Springboro/Bishop Fenwick) gave BW the early 10-8 lead to start the second game, forcing the away team its first timeout
• Steinitz notched a big kill on an overpass by the Tigers to forced Wittenberg to its second and final timeout (14-9 BW)
• BW extended the lead to 22-16, and with a service error by the Tigers, closed set two (25-19)
• The Yellow Jackets hit .370 in the second game, and notched two total blocks to Wittenberg's one

3rd Set

• Following a service ace by Beard, BW started up on the Tigers 4-0 and forced Wittenberg to an early timeout
• A huge block by Reilman and Steinitz put the Yellow Jackets up 7-2 before a kill on an overpass by Mazzone extended that lead to 9-2
• The Yellow Jackets kept the momentum, finding themselves with a 22-15 late in set three
• Despite Wittenberg closing the gap to 24-21, BW's notched a final kill by Steinitz to win set three 25-21 and the match 3-0

The Yellow Jackets return to play on Tuesday, March 21 as the team is on the road to Adrian, Michigan to take on Adrian College is a rescheduled MCVL matchup. The match is set to begin at 7:00 p.m. inside of the Merillat Sport and Fitness Center.