ROMEOVILLE, Ill. – The Quincy University men's volleyball team was tested by one of the nation's elite programs Friday night, falling in straight sets (25-23, 25-16, 25-21) to ninth-ranked Lewis University inside Neil Carey Arena.

Lewis showcased its offensive firepower throughout the match, hitting a blistering .440 with 42 kills to overpower the Hawks, while Quincy battled point-for-point for long stretches and used a strong serving night to keep each set within reach.

The opening set featured tight play early as the teams traded points before Lewis used a brief run to grab a 7-4 advantage. Quincy responded immediately, stringing together four straight points behind kills from Isaiah Travis and Bauer Larson, along with a service ace from Zackary Zdrojeski, to move in front 10-8.

Momentum continued to swing back and forth as Lewis held slim two- and three-point leads, but the Hawks stayed within striking distance. Trailing 21-20, the Flyers rattled off three consecutive points to reach set point. Quincy refused to fold, as Barnabas Fenyvesi delivered back-to-back service aces to pull the Hawks within one and force a Lewis timeout. Coming out of the break, the Flyers were able to close the set, taking it 25-23.

Despite hitting just .074 in the frame, Quincy stayed competitive thanks to five service aces, while Lewis committed seven service errors.

Quincy carried its energy into the second set, jumping out to a 4-1 lead highlighted by another Zdrojeski ace. Lewis answered with a decisive 11-4 run, using its high-powered attack to seize control. The Flyers steadily extended their lead to 19-12 and never looked back, scoring the final four points to claim the set 25-16.

Lewis continued to swing efficiently, hitting .476 in the set, while Quincy hit .059.

The third set once again opened tightly, with both teams trading points as Lewis miscues allowed Quincy to hang close at 12-11. At that point, the Flyers surged with a five-point run fueled by three kills to build a 17-11 cushion.

Facing elimination, the Hawks made one final push. Bauer Larson recorded three kills during the rally, while Pawel Tuz and Alex Barkley added timely finishes to trim the deficit to 22-19 and force another Lewis timeout. The comeback attempt fell just short, as the Flyers closed out the match with a pair of kills to take the set 25-21.

It was Quincy's most efficient offensive showing of the night, hitting .308 in the final frame.

Lewis finished with a commanding edge at the net, recording 42 kills to Quincy's 25 and hitting .440 compared to the Hawks' .157. Both teams finished with seven service aces, while Lewis committed 17 service errors, a key factor that allowed Quincy to remain competitive throughout the match. Digs were nearly even, with Lewis holding a slight 24-23 advantage.

Larson led the Hawks with seven kills, adding two blocks and a service ace for a team-high 9.5 points. Tomas Badan and Alex Barkley each chipped in five kills, while libero Jade Breckheimer anchored the defense with 13 digs.

For Lewis, Cole Sweitzer paced the offense with 11 kills on 16 swings for a .563 hitting percentage, adding two service aces. Oguzhan Oguz complemented the attack with nine kills while hitting .571.

Quincy will face another stiff test Saturday as the Hawks make the short trip to Chicago to take on sixth-ranked Loyola Chicago, with first serve scheduled for 5:00 PM.