Glenside, Pa. – The No. 4 Stevens Institute of Technology men's volleyball team opened Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom play with a 3-0 victory over Arcadia University on Wednesday evening.

Bennett Heydorn paced the Ducks (13-3, 1-0 MAC Freedom) with 15 kills, while Tucker Curtis led Arcadia (6-9, 0-1 MAC Freedom) with 11. Stevens claimed the match by set scores of 25-17, 25-20, and 25-19.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Stevens scored five of the first seven points in the opening set, fueled by kills from Heydorn and Cade Allen. Arcadia responded and the set featured ties at 8, 9, and 10 before the Ducks surged with nine of the next 12 points. Allen recorded three kills during the run, while Colin Holden added a service ace. The Knights closed the gap to five late, but a Heydorn kill secured the set for Stevens.

The Ducks jumped out quickly again in the second, building a 10-4 lead. Heydorn delivered four early kills while Allen added two during the stretch. Arcadia trimmed the deficit to three several times before a 5-2 run pulled the Knights within two at 21-19. A service error returned possession to Stevens and Heydorn pushed the margin to 23-19 with another kill. After an Arcadia point, the Knights committed back-to-back unforced errors as Stevens took the second set.

Stevens trailed 7-6 in the third before taking control with six of the next eight points to move ahead 12-9. Holden and Allen combined for a block to give the Ducks the lead, then teamed up again for another rejection to extend the advantage. Arcadia remained within striking distance and pulled to within one at 16-15, but Stevens responded. Consecutive aces by Heydorn and kills from Allen and Phillip Bone stretched the lead to 24-17. The Knights saved two match points before Jacob Lobdell finished a Quinn Bozarth set on the third opportunity to seal the sweep.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Heydorn finished with a career-high 15 kills while adding six digs and four service aces.
Holden recorded four blocks and Allen contributed 11 kills with three blocks.
Bozarth distributed 30 assists and added nine digs, while Titus Rodz chipped in four digs.

UP NEXT
The Ducks return home on Saturday for a tri-match inside Canavan Arena, hosting Hood College at 1:00 p.m. and New Paltz at 3:00 p.m.