AMHERST, N.Y. – The Daemen University men's volleyball team extended its home winning streak to nine consecutive matches with a 3-0 defeat (25-19, 25-14, 25-17) of the Fairleigh Dickinson Knights at Lumsden Gymnasium late Saturday afternoon. It marked Daemen's 13th win of the season, exceeding the prior program record (12) set during the 2020 campaign. 

Daemen (13-4) trailed only three times in the entire match against an upstart FDU team that is competing in its inaugural season. The Knights dropped to 5-10 overall. They are the third Division I opponent Daemen has defeated this season (Princeton, LIU). 

The Wildcats held only a slim advantage in kills (28-27), but once again made their presence felt from the service line. Daemen, which entered the match ranked second among all Division I-II teams in service aces per set, totaled nine aces today (to just two for FDU). 

Daemen attacked at a .345 clip in the match while holding FDU to just .097. 
 

IMPACT PLAYERS

• Junior middle hitter Jake Couzens (Hamburg, N.Y.) recorded a match-high eight kills on as many attempts, finishing with a 1.000 hitting percentage. Couzens' nine points were second only to classmate Zach Schneider (Lockport, N.Y.) who tallied 11.5. Schneider, Daemen's leader in kills per set, posted six kills, five digs, four blocks and two aces in an all-around effort.
• Henry Moffitt (Sydney, Australia) and Cameron Milligan (Pavilion, N.Y.) chipped in five kills apiece while setter Michael Krueger (Canonsburg, Pa.) posted match-highs in assists (25) and aces (4). 
• Jack Lydon (seven kills) and Rui Fernandes (17 assists) paced the Knights. 

GAME NOTES

• Daemen is competing in its fourth season of existence.
• The Wildcats return 12 players from their 2021 team which finished with a 10-0 record—the only NCAA Division I-II team without a loss.
• Daemen is 32-6 in their last 38 matches—a span that dates back to early February, 2020. Four of the six losses have come against Division I opponents.
• Daemen entered the match ranked No. 7 in the Off The Block Division II Coaches Poll. The Wildcats have been included in that poll for nine straight weeks.
• The Wildcats have won 14 of their last 15 home matches dating back to March of 2020. 
• Today's match marked the team's home finale for the 2022 season.
• Graduate student Robert Patzer was honored in a pre-match ceremony to commemorate the final home contest of his career. Patzer, who suffered a season-ending injury in a loss at Purdue Fort Wayne last week, appeared in 24 matches over the last two seasons while totaling 169 kills, 204 assists, 26 aces, 123 digs and 36 blocks. Daemen's three additional seniors - setter Michael Krueger, defensive specialist Jaden Gillette and middle hitter Henry Moffitt - are all planning to exercise an additional season of eligibility (COVID-19 pandemic) and will return to the team next season. 
• FDU is the fourth program competing in its inaugural season that Daemen has played this season. The Wildcats are 5-0 in those contests with additional wins coming against American International (twice), LIU and Central State. 

UP NEXT
Daemen visits the St. Francis (Pa.) Red Flash next Friday, April 1 for a 7 p.m. match. 

Daemen College features the premier NCAA Division II athletics program in the Buffalo-Niagara region, sponsoring 17 intercollegiate teams. For the latest information on Daemen Athletics, follow the Wildcats via social media on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram, or sign up to receive customizable news alerts, e-mail newsletters and weekly schedule alerts.

Follow the Daemen College men's volleyball program on Twitter and Instagram at @DaemenMVB.