ST. DAVIDS, Pa. – Eastern University Men's Volleyball rallied twice but came up just short in a five-set loss to the visiting Elizabethtown College Blue Jays. The Eagles (10-7) rallied from a 21-18 deficit in the fourth set to force a fifth set, but they were not able to hold an 8-5 edge and dropped the final set, 15-12. Rodney Quarles led a balanced Eastern attack with 13 kllls.

After dropping a tough 25-22 decision in the opening set, the Eagles flipped the script and won the second set by an identical 25-22 score. Eastern hit .333  with 14 kills in the second., and the visiting Blue Jays hit .375 as neither team had more than a two-point run in the set. Inconsistent serving gave the Eagles a window and they used it to build a 20-17 lead.  Neither team failed a sideout chance the rest of the way and the Eagles evened the match.

Eastern used a four[point run to open a 23-20 lead in the third set and had a set point at 24-22, butthe Blue Jays scored the final four points of the frame to win 26-24. The Eagles played enough defense to stay in the set despite hitting a negative number.

Elizabethtown (11-6) went up 17-12 in the fourth and seemed to be in control of the match. The eagles found resilience and battled to tie the score at 21-21. The Blue Jays had a match point at 24-23, but the Eagles tied the set on an attack error and went up on a big solo block from Jarred Barch. With Josiah Cash serving aggressively, the Eagles forced a fifth set.

Eastern led 8-5 when the two teams switched sides, but the Blue Jays scored eight of the next nine points and held on for the win.

Quarles had exactly 13 kills for the fourth time in his last six home matches. Josiah Cash had 12 kills and five blocks, and Lucas Adam hit .300 with 10 kills. Josh Hrabosky had a team high ten digs and 24 assists.

The Eagles (7-10) will play two matches at Drew this weekend and a Monday match at the University of Valley Forge before traveling to Hood to resume MAC play next Wednesday.