SPRINGFIELD, Ohio – The Calvin University men's volleyball team saw its season come to an end with a 3-2 defeat at Wittenberg University in the MCVL Tournament final on Saturday.
 
Calvin (21-5) won two of the first three sets, but Wittenberg (20-5) came back to win the final two games to take the match 18-25, 31-29, 22-25, 16-25, 15-9.
 
The Knights came out of the gates firing on all cylinders, hitting a scorching .394 on the attack to take the opening set 25-18. Daniel Rua (Medellin, Colombia/Colegio Canadiense) led the charge with five kills while Nick Bultje (Byron Center, Mich./South Christian), Justus Barbel (Aurora, Ill./West Aurora) and Brady Gudauskas (Naperville, Ill./Neuqua Valley) each record three kills to put the Knights in front 1-0 in the match.
 
The second set featured 19 ties and six lead changes as the two teams traded blows back and forth well beyond 25 points. The Knights fought off five set points at 25-24, 26-25, 27-26, 28-27 and 29-28 to give themselves a chance, but three late Calvin service errors proved costly as the Tigers won the set 31-29 to even the match at 1-1.Gudauskas recorded six kills in the set for the Knights, who hit .259 with 21 kills in the set. Bultje and Gabriel Laughlin (Grand Rapids, Mich./West Michigan Aviation Academy) each recorded five kills.
 
Calvin gained the momentum right back following that disappointment, however, and broke open a third set that was tied 17-17 to pull away late and win 25-22 to take a 2-1 overall lead. Rua once again came up big for the Knights with five kills. Brantley Tiede (Lowell, Mich./Lowell) led the defensive effort with five digs in the set.
 
That momentum would not last with the Knights into the fourth set, however, as the Tigers jumped in front early with a 7-1 lead and never looked back, taking that set 25-16 to force a fifth and deciding game for the championship and a spot in the NCAA III Tournament.
 
In the fifth set, Calvin won the race to eight as the teams traded sides with the Knights in front 8-7, but the Tigers answered with a 4-0 run to take an 11-8 lead and finished the set on an 8-1 run to secure the win.
 
Calvin finished the match with a .184 attack efficiency, led by Gudauskas and Rua with 14 kills apiece. Both players also recorded double-doubles, with Rua adding 17 digs and Guduaskas finishing with 12. Bultje added 11 kills, while Laughlin finished with nine.
 
Laughlin also led the Knights with four total blocks, including a pair of solo blocks. Gudauskas had three service aces. Tiede led the Knights with 18 digs.

Following the match, Rua and Laughlin were both named to the All-Tournament Team by the MCVL. 
 
The Knights finished the season with a school-record 21 wins, as well as their best-ever finish in the MCVL standings (third) and made their first trip to the MCVL Tournament.
 
COACH'S COMMENT: "Cannot be more proud of our team for believing in the process this year and for believing in each other," Calvin head coach Aaron Sagraves said. "Our captains and our senior – Gabriel Laughlin – led so well and finished his career by leaving a legacy. He played like it tonight and we just came up short to a really good Wittenberg team. We've never been in this position before and had the home team on the ropes but just weren't able to finish. Thankful for Gabe and all he has meant to this program and to his teammates."