GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Calvin University men's volleyball team saw its 12-match winning streak come to an end in a 3-0 defeat to Baldwin Wallace University by the scores of 25-22, 25-16 and 25-20 on Friday night at Van Noord Arena.
 
In a battle of teams at the top of the MCVL standings, Baldwin Wallace (15-8, 3-1 MCVL) started strong and gained momentum as the match went on to hold of Calvin (16-3, 4-1 MCVL) and earn the win.
 
The first set went back and forth with 10 ties and five lead changes, but the Yellowjackets won the service battle with three aces while the Knights committed seven serving errors in the set that proved to be the difference as Baldwin Wallace won 25-22. Gabriel Laughlin (Grand Rapids, Mich./West Michigan Aviation Academy) and Brady Gudauskas (Naperville, Ill./Neuqua Valley) each had three kills in the opening set for Calvin.
 
The second set was tied at 14-14 midway through, but Baldwin Wallace took control by winning 10 of the next 11 points on the way to a 25-16 set-two win and a 2-0 overall lead in the match. The Yellowjackets hit .355 in the set and held Calvin to only five kills, led by two apiece from Justus Barbel (Aurora, Ill./West Aurora) and Daniel Rua (Medellin, Columbia/Colegio Canadiense).
 
Baldwin Wallace built an early lead in the third set but Calvin fought to stay in the match, cutting the deficit to 23-20 late before the Yellowjackets won the final two points to secure the 3-0 win. The Yellowjackets continued to be strong on the attack with a .385 efficiency in the set. Rua recorded four kills in the set to lead Calvin.
 
Rua led Calvin for the match with seven kills. Ezekiel Jalan (Oconomowoc, Wis./Arrowhead) had 21 assists and seven digs. Barbel and Nick Bultje (Byron Center, Mich./South Christian) each finished with four blocks for the Knights.
 
COACH'S COMMENT: "They were better than us tonight," Calvin head coach Aaron Sagraves said. "It was a tough way to lose. We prepared really well and we were just a little off. They made us pay for every mistake we make, and that's what good teams do. They're a good team. They've been a top 20 team all year up until they lost a few matches last week when they fell out of it, but they're still a really good volleyball team and so are we. We'll take this, learn from it and move forward."
 
NEXT UP: Calvin men's volleyball will return to action tomorrow (Saturday, March 21) when it hosts the University of Mount Union in the home finale at Van Noord Arena at 1:00 PM.