BUFFALO, N.Y. – Behind a double-double from junior outside hitter Zach Schneider (Lockport, N.Y.) and a .368 team hitting percentage, the Daemen University men's volleyball team earned a 3-0 sweep (25-18, 25-18, 25-23) over crosstown rival D'Youville University today at the College Center Gymnasium. The win gives the Wildcats a sweep of a two-match season series with the Saints.

Daemen improved to 14-5 this season and the Wildcats have won 12 of their last 15 matches. Today's win was the Wildcats' 20th in a row against an opponent from the NCAA Division II or III ranks. 

D'Youville, which competes as an NCAA Division II independent (same as Daemen), entered today's contest having won four of their previous six matches. The Saints saw their record drop to 8-11. 

Daemen held sizable advantages in kills (39-27), hitting percentage (.368-.219), assists (37-27) and service aces (8-4) en route to their sixth win in seven all-time meetings with D'Youville. The Wildcats opened a 12-6 lead in the opening set that D'Youville wasn't able to overcome. After the Saints pulled within 15-13, Daemen went on a 10-5 spurt that included kills from five different players.

The second set was knotted 12-12 before Daemen embarked on another significant run. Schneider and sophomore right side Cameron Milligan (Pavilion, N.Y.) each posted multiple kills during the 10-4 Daemen spurt. The Wildcats went on to close the set with a service ace from junior outside hitter Ryan Parker (Fairport, N.Y.). 

Both teams held leads in a nip-and-tuck third set. After the Saints evened the set at 14-14, Daemen scored four of the next five points to establish some control. The Saints managed to pull within a single point three times down the stretch, but a kill from junior middle hitter Jake Couzens (Hamburg, N.Y.) shut the door before the set got to extra points. 

IMPACT PLAYERS

• Schneider finished with match-highs in kills (10) and digs (10). He's now recorded double-figure kills in 13 of the 17 matches he's appeared in and today's effort marked his third double-double of the season. 
• Parker turned in eight kills while Milligan and Couzens notched seven apiece. Couzens added four service aces and as many block assists to his stat line. 
• Senior middle blocker Henry Moffitt (Sydney, Australia) chipped in with six kills while senior setter Michael Krueger (Canonsburg, Pa.) finished with a match-high 30 assists. 
• Jacob Malak paced D'Youville and shared match-high honors with 10 kills. 

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 now 33-7 in their last 40 matches—a span that dates back to early February, 2020. Five of the seven losses have come against Division I opponents.
• Daemen entered the match ranked No. 9 in the Off The Block Division II Coaches Poll. The Wildcats have been included in that poll for 12 straight weeks.
• Daemen's all-time leader in kills, Schneider has totaled 492 kills in 43 matches during his career.

UP NEXT
The Wildcats now set their sights on the Independent Volleyball Association Tournament which is set for April 22-23 in Charlotte, N.C. The Wildcats will play three matches over the two-day tournament which features eight Division II volleyball independents. The tournament schedule is expected to be announced early next week. 

Daemen University 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 University men's volleyball program on Twitter and Instagram at @DaemenMVB.