QUINCY, Ill. - The Hawks played match two of a four-match homestand on Saturday (Mar. 23) against the Lions of Lindenwood in Pepsi Arena. Raje Alleyne and AJ Goedheer combined for a remarkable 40 kills, leading their squad to a 2-0 lead in the match before the Lions came roaring back to secure the final three sets and escape with a 3-2 (25-21, 25-19, 17-25, 18-25, 13-15) victory. 

Set One

Both sides were evenly matched trading points until a five-point Hawks run while trailing 9-8 propelled QU to a 13-9 advantage thanks to a kill from Goedheer and a serving clinic from the stripe by Logan Gieseke with four-straight aces. Quincy maintained the lead throughout the middle of the set, continuing to lead by as many as four down the stretch. 

Goedheer had the hot hand in the crunch time to help deliver his side the victory, claiming five of the final six Hawk points via termination including the set clincher for a 25-21 success in the first frame of play. 

Set Two

Quincy put it on LU from the get-go in the second set, jumping out to 12-5 edge to start on kills from nearly the whole Hawk committee as well as aces for Gieseke and Zackary Zdrojeski plus blocks for Gieseke, Dylan Feely and Roman Deryckere.

QU did not let up, pressing the advantage further to eight at the 21-13 mark on to back-to-back kills for Zdrojeski along with another for Alleyne and a pair of errors by Lindenwood. The Hawks coasted their way to a comfortable 25-19 winner in the set and 2-0 upper hand in the match. 

Set Three

The Lions responded early in the third, doubling up QU to a 10-5 score. Quincy narrowed the gap shortly after on a four-point run from Goedheer, getting it done from everywhere with a kill and three more service aces to cut the margin to 14-12. 

LU locked it down from there, answering with five of the next six points to replenish the lead and go on to claim the set 25-17. 

Set Four

The fourth set started out tight with neither side budging as the Hawks were able to muster a slim 12-10 advantage before a five-point run from the Lions put them in the forefront 15-12. 

QU never drew closer from that point on as Lindenwood went the distance to force a fifth set with a 25-18 win in the fourth. 

Set Five

Feely opened the set with the Hawks 10th ace of the contest as part of a three-point run also featuring a block from Deryckere and an error. Moments later, a service error and kill for Alleyne put Quincy ahead 5-2, prompting four-straight points from LU to move back ahead 6-5. QU took the next three on an ace for Alleyne, kill from Zdrojeski and Lions error to lead 8-6 at the break. 

The Hawks added a point to the advantage later in the set to lead it 13-10 on kills from Alleyne and Goedheer along with an error as Quincy looked poised to seal the deal. The final five points of the match went in favor of Lindenwood as the potent Quincy offensive threat finally came undone with four straight errors down the stretch allowing LU to steal the final set in a heart-breaking 15-13 loss and 3-2 defeat in the match. 

Next Up

The Hawks take a short break from MIVA action to host the Saints of Maryville on Tuesday (Mar. 26). Quincy will look to avenge a five-set loss at Maryville on 3/8 starting at 7:00 PM at Pepsi Arena.