LISLE, Ill. – The UW-Stevens Point men's volleyball team (1-3) dropped a pair of four-set matches on Monday at the Benedictine Tournament. The Pointers fell, 3-1, to host Benedictine to begin the day and then dropped a 3-1 score to Augustana to conclude the day.
 
Freshman Sam Jolin (Middleton, Wis./Middleton) led the Pointers in assists in both matches. He had 36 in the first match, then posted 24 in the nightcap against AC.
 
Cael Bertrandt (Big Bend, Wis./Mukwonago) recorded his first double-digit kills match with 14 against BU. He tied for the team lead with seven kills versus AC.
 
Hudson Dresen (Franksville, Wis./Union Grove) led UWSP with 14 digs against BU. Liam Robertson (Waukesha, Wis./North) had 20 digs on the day, 11 versus BU and a team-best nine against the Vikings.
 
UWSP 1, Benedictine 3 (23-25, 18-25, 25-22, 19-25)
Dresen served an ace amid a 3-0 run as UWSP chipped away at a 4-0 start by BU. He had two kills and another aces as the Pointers tied it at 11-11. Bertrandt had three kills and UWSP tied it again at 19-19. Dresen and Dylan Niznik (Antioch, Ill./Antioch Community) each had a kill as the Pointers thwarted three set points before dropping the first set, 25-23.
 
Bertrandt had four kills early in the second set, but the Eagles jumped ahead, 16-9. Nate Olson (Franklin, Wis./Franklin) had consecutive kills and Bertrandt served an ace, but the Pointers fell into a 2-0 hole.
 
Bertrandt had two kills early in the third set and Kyle Smith (Waukesha, Wis./West) served up back-to-back aces at the Pointers took a 10-8 lead. Ethan Jetzer (Milwaukee, Wis./Ronald Reagan) added a kill and an ace. Smith and Bertrandt combined on consecutive blocks for set point. Dresen sealed the set win with a kill.
 
Bertrandt had two blocks and two kills as UWSP went ahead 12-11. Jetzer had a pair of kills after a 7-0 run by BU. Spencer Baeckman (Germantown, Wis./Germantown) served an ace just before BU finished the match win.
 
UWSP 1, Augustana 3 (21-25, 25-21, 18-25, 29-31)
Niznik had a kill, a block and an ace early, but the Pointers trailed, 7-6. Bertrandt had a kill to halt a 4-0 Vikings run. Smith had a pair of solo blocks, but the Pointers dropped the opening set.
Niznik had a kill and an ace early in the second as the Pointers played from behind. He had another kill and a block in a 6-0 run as UWSP pulled even at 15-15. Bertrandt had three-straight aces to tie the set at 19-19. Niznik added tow kills and Smith served an ace as UWSP took the set with a 6-1 run at the end.
 
Bertrandt and Olson had two kills each and Bertrandt had an ace, but the trailed the entire third set.
 
Dresen started the fourth with a kill and two kills by Baeckman tied the set at 9-9. Dresen added two kills and a block as the lead teetered back-and-forth. Jetzer had two kills late as UWSP had five set points before the Vikings finished the match with a 3-0 burst.
 
The Pointers are back on the road on Friday (Jan. 24) at the Sabre Men's Classic. UWSP will face Calvin at 1:00 p.m. and Adrian at 5:00 p.m.