AMHERST, N.Y. - A late rally in the fifth set came up just short as the Daemen College men's volleyball team dropped a 3-2 seesaw-like affair (23-25, 28-26, 23-25, 25-23, 12-15) to visiting Brock University in exhibition action here tonight. Although the outcome won't count in their official win-loss record in this inaugural season, tonight's match will go down as the first-ever at the friendly confines of Lumsden Gymnasium for the Wildcats.

Dean Globocki (11 kills) and Peter Schnabel (10 kills) paced Brock, which competes as a member of the Ontario University Athletics league. Mitch Taylor posted a double-double with 29 assists and 13 digs, while Ethan Kalef led the Badger defense with 15 digs.

Henry Moffitt (Sydney, Australia) led a balanced offensive effort for Daemen, finishing with 12 kills on 24 attempts without committing a hitting error (.500 hitting percentage). Brandon Casterline (North Tonawanda, N.Y.) attacked at a .474 clip, finishing with 11 kills on 19 attempts. Jesse Donorovich (Lockport, N.Y.) also reached double figures with 10 kills, and the Wildcats got eight kills apiece from Jahari Winkfield (Oswego, Ill.) and Kyle Kon (Oswego, N.Y.).

Daemen setter Michael Krueger notched a match-high 41 assists. Winkfield (14 digs), Kon (11), Donorovich (10) and Ryan Beck (Pittsburgh, Pa.) (10) all reached double-figure digs.

After falling behind 2-1 in the match, Daemen eked out a 25-23 win to force a fifth and deciding set. Daemen went up 10-6 early in the fourth and never surrendered the lead despite Brock pulling within a single point on eight occasions. A kill by Moffit put Daemen ahead 24-22, but then a Daemen service error allowed Brock to stay alive momentarily. The Badgers committed a hitting error on the ensuing point, giving the set to Daemen.

In the fifth, Brock raced out to a 10-3 lead before Daemen came alive. A kill by Winkfield ignited a 5-0 spurt, and Daemen later climbed within a point (13-12) following another Badger hitting miscue. After a timeout, Brock emerged and scored the final two points to close out the match, both coming on Daemen errors. 

The loss came despite Daemen's advantages in hitting percentage (.101 to .092), total kills (49 to 40), service aces (11 to 8) and assists (45 to 38). Brock managed to be the better defensive team with six blocks (to Daemen's four) and 60 digs (to Daemen's 57). 

Daemen officials announced the addition of men's volleyball in May of 2017. The addition was made possible by a $60,000 grant from the MotorMVB Foundation.  The MotorMVB Foundation (www.MotorMVB.com) is a non-profit organization that focuses on the growth of boys' and men's volleyball at all levels in the United States. Daemen became just the 27th National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II men's volleyball program in the country when it made the announcement, and the only Division II team North of the Mason-Dixon Line.

Daemen (1-2 overall) returns to regular season action this weekend with three matches at the Juniata College Invitational. The Wildcats battle tournament-host Juniata on Friday evening (Jan. 25, 7:30 p.m.), and will follow up with Saturday (Jan. 26) matches against Southern Virginia University (11 a.m.) and Wittenberg University (1 p.m.). The Wildcats will return to home action on Tuesday, Jan. 29 when Elmira College comes to town.

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