FORT WAYNE, Ind.(LourdesAthletics.com) – The Lourdes University men's volleyball team battled back from an early deficit to force a decisive fifth set in its Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) opener on Friday evening, but Indiana Tech University held on for a 25-18, 28-26, 18-25, 20-25, 15-10 victory at the Schaefer Center in Fort Wayne, Ind.

The Gray Wolves (2-4, 0-1 WHAC) showed resilience after dropping the first two sets, responding with their most efficient offensive performance of the season. Lourdes finished with 64 kills and a .240 hitting percentage, led by Vinicius Lopez's season-high 24 kills on a .326 clip. Jaber Badarne added 19 kills and a team-best five blocks, while Mitch Hoffman contributed eight kills and two service aces.

Joey Bianco orchestrated the offense with 44 assists and added three blocks, while Brayden Moyars anchored the defense with a match-high 21 digs. Badarne and Bianco also provided key defensive efforts as Lourdes posted a season-high nine total blocks.

Indiana Tech (4-0, 1-0 WHAC) took control early, hitting .343 in the opening set before edging Lourdes in a tightly contested second frame. The Gray Wolves responded with back-to-back set wins, hitting .367 in the third and .370 in the fourth to send the match to a decisive fifth set.

In the final frame, Indiana Tech found momentum late, hitting .400 with just one error to seal the win. Lourdes managed seven kills in the set but struggled to slow down the Warriors' attack.

Despite the loss, the Gray Wolves showed continued offensive growth, surpassing 60 kills for the first time this season. Lopez and Badarne continued to be offensive catalysts, building off strong performances in Lourdes' sweep of Park-Gilbert last weekend.

Up Next: 
Lourdes looks to bounce back in WHAC play on Saturday, Feb. 15, as the Gray Wolves travel to Mount Vernon, Ohio, to take on Mount Vernon Nazarene. First serve is set for 5 p.m.