SAINT MARY-OF-THE-WOODS, Ind. – The Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College men's volleyball team defeated visiting Oakland City (Ind.) on Thursday evening (March 20) inside the Knoerle Center by the score of 3-1. After falling 25-18 in the opener, the Pomeroys came back to win 25-20, 25-17 and 25-19.

SMWC improves to 19-6 on the season and 3-5 in River States Conference play. The Pomeroys will host Cumberland (Tenn.) on Saturday, March 22 at 1 pm (ET) as conference play rolls along.

Bentley Meyer paced the offensive attack early on with 11 kills while Joseph Szadorski led the way with 12 of his own. Kristofers Klavins tallied 42 set assists and Trevin Matsuba was credited with 14 digs. SMWC owned 12 total blocks including a team-best four by Yammiel Martinez. The Pomeroys owned a .248 attack percentage in the victory.

Oakland City struggled to find their rhythm early on in the second set, and it was clear that SMWC was determined to assert control. Key kills by Joseph Szadorski, Yammiel Martinez, and Hazem Nabil helped the team build a solid lead, with Nabil contributing multiple kills to push the score to 16-12. The team's cohesion was evident, with Kristofers Klavins playing a pivotal role in setting up his teammates for success, particularly with assists to Mert Asma, Noah Boyett, and Kendrick Marquez.

Oakland City made a few attempts to catch up, but a series of attack errors—including from Tyler Duranceau and Joseph Szadorski—allowed Saint Mary-of-the-Woods to capitalize on mistakes. Notably, a service ace from Gaston Barrionuevo gave Saint Mary-of-the-Woods a boost, putting them at 12-9, while a well-timed kill from Jahaziel Rivera kept them on track.

As the set continued, SMWC maintained their intensity. A strong block by Bentley Meyer and a few strategic kills from Andrej Lindner and Tyler Duranceau saw the team pulling ahead, with a 20-16 lead. Oakland's attack errors and service mistakes only added to their struggles, and despite a few strong individual plays, the deficit proved insurmountable.

In the third set, the Pomeroys stormed out to a quick 3-0 lead with a series of early kills from Tyler Duranceau, including a service ace. Oakland City struggled to find consistency as Saint Mary-of-the-Woods capitalized on errors from the visitors. The Pomeroys extended their advantage with another service ace, this time from Duranceau, pushing the score to 4-0.

Oakland City attempted to recover but was plagued by service and attack errors, including multiple mistakes from Luke Wilson and Joseph Szadorski, which allowed Saint Mary-of-the-Woods to continue building their lead. The Pomeroys' defense was sharp as well, with strong blocks from Szadorski and Duranceau, keeping the visitors at bay.

The Pomeroys' offense stayed in rhythm, with kills coming from a variety of sources. Duranceau, Kristofers Klavins, and Gaston Barrionuevo all contributed timely kills, while Maycor Carrion added depth to the offensive firepower. By the time the score hit 22-14, it was clear the Pomeroys had control of the set.

The fourth set started with an early error from the Pomeroys, giving Oakland City a 1-0 lead. However, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods quickly bounced back with a kill from Bentley Meyer, assisted by Kristofers Klavins, to tie it at 1-1. The teams exchanged points, with Tyler Duranceau's aggressive play helping the Pomeroys take a 3-1 lead after an Oakland City attack error.

Midway through the set, SMWC capitalized on several key mistakes from the visitors, including service errors and attack mishaps. A critical block from Joseph Szadorski and a strong kill from Meyer pushed the score to 6-3 in favor of the Pomeroys. Although Oakland City had moments of resilience, such as a service ace from Hazem Nabil and kills from Kendrick Marquez, the Pomeroys continued to dominate the set.

With the score tied at 7-7, the Pomeroys began to pull away. A series of errors from Oakland City, including attack errors from Tinevimbo Goto and Andrej Lindner, and a well-timed service ace from Duranceau, helped Saint Mary-of-the-Woods extend their lead to 16-13. The Pomeroys remained in control, with key kills from Klavins and Meyer, and a strong defense to thwart Oakland City's attempts to mount a comeback.

As the set progressed, the Pomeroys sealed their victory with impressive play from their entire lineup. A kill from Joseph Szadorski gave them a 24-19 lead, and Christian Green put the finishing touch on the match with a kill assisted by Klavins, clinching the set 25-19.