The Lourdes men's volleyball team (6-2, 3-1 in WHAC) earned a 3–0 win over Mount Vernon Nazarene (5-3, 2-2 in WHAC) on Tuesday evening at the Russell J. Ebeid Recreation Center.

Lourdes continued its strong season and protected its home court against a solid conference opponent, separating itself in second place in the conference standings, one game behind conference-leading Bethel.

1^st Set
Lourdes controlled the match early and was very dominant in the first set. The team played with confidence, limited mistakes, and set the tone right away to take the opening set comfortably by a score of 25 to 19.

Sophomore outside hitter Felipe Tramontin served well in the first set and had three kills in the opening frame. The Brazilian had a season-high 12 kills on the night for his second consecutive game with double-digit kills. Tramontin spoke post-match about his performance and the home crowd atmosphere at the Ebeid Rec Center.

"I began the game thinking about how we could be efficient as a team," Tramontin said. "We did a great job of hitting and passing today and my mindset was focused on the team. We always hear the crowd and they always cheer loud for us; very loud. It's a pretty big advantage at home, and I love it."

2^nd Set
In the second set, the match became much more competitive. Both teams traded points and stayed close throughout the set. Lourdes stayed composed in the final points and closed the set with a tight 26–24 win.

3^rd Set
Mount Vernon Nazarene started the third set strong and put early pressure on Lourdes. After the good start by the visitors, Lourdes raised its level and took control of the set. The Gray Wolves went on a strong run, took the lead, and never looked worried about losing the set. Lourdes showed great teamwork and energy, finishing the match with a Tsimafei Lesko ace and a 25–22 win in the third set.

Stats
Jaber Badarne led Lourdes offensively with 13 kills, followed closely by Felipe Tramontin with 12 kills. Lourdes showed balance across the lineup, with multiple players contributing on offense and defense. The team stayed calm in key moments and played together when the match became close.

Overall, it was a strong team performance by Lourdes. The Gray Wolves handled pressure well, stayed disciplined in tight situations, and showed once again why they are difficult to beat at home.

Coach Reitz's Post-Match Comments
"The first set was good; we set a tone and we passed and hit at a pretty efficient level," Coach Reitz said. "The second set, we kind of dropped off a little bit and they stepped up their game a little. To be able to come back in that second set and get the win helped to secure the momentum on our side. I thought we stepped up really well to the challenge in the second set and then performed pretty consistently in the third set. We ended the match on an ace when Tima (Tsimafei Lesko) hit an absolute blast, so I'll take the finish."

Next Match
The Gray Wolves continue their homestand on Friday at 7pm against Aquinas and then will take on Cornerstone at home at 2pm on Valentine's Day