BOURBONNAIS, Ill. – The Bethel University men’s volleyball team fought hard on the road but came up just short in a five-set thriller against Olivet Nazarene University, falling 2-3 (22-25, 25-22, 25-22, 19-25, 12-15) on Friday night.
The Pilots (11-10) started slow, dropping the first set 22-25, but quickly found their rhythm in the second and third sets. Behind strong offensive performances, Bethel responded with a 25-22 win in the second set, hitting an .357. They carried that momentum into the third, dominating with a .519 hitting percentage and taking another 25-22 victory. However, Olivet Nazarene (10-9) adjusted in the fourth set, regaining control with a 25-19 win to force a decisive fifth set.
In the final set, Bethel came out strong, but Olivet Nazarene’s efficient attack proved to be the difference. The Tigers hit .471 in the final frame and edged out the Pilots 15-12 to seal the victory.
Despite the loss, Bethel had standout performances across the board, with Thomas Dunkley leading the offense with 23 kills while hitting .400 and adding 10 digs. Ling Pak Him followed with 15 kills and two service aces, and Uros Miloradovic added 14 kills to keep the Pilots competitive.
Setter Maik Herbst orchestrated the offense with 28 assists, while McGwire Eigenrauch contributed 21 assists and a service ace.
Bethel will look to bounce back on Tuesday, March 25, when they travel to Fort Wayne, Ind., to take on Indiana Tech in a WHAC matchup at 7 PM.