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Muskies fall in MIVA quarterfinals


Athletics - posted on 3/28/2010

The No. 9 Lakeland men's volleyball team won four of five matches before falling to Notre Dame 16-25, 25-23, 15-13 in the Gold Bracket quarterfinals of the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (MIVA) Championships in Oshkosh, Wis.

The Muskies (31-8), who hadn't lost a set in two matches played against the Fighting Irish this season, started strong in Sunday's match but were unable to maintain the play as the match wore on.

Earlier in the day, Lakeland defeated Wisconsin 25-16, 25-13 to set up the quarterfinal.

On Saturday, the Muskies posted a 3-1 record in pool play, falling to No. 1 Illinois 25-17, 25-21 in their third match of the day. Lakeland knocked off Minnesota (25-13, 27-29, 15-9), No. 21 Grand Valley State (25-12, 25-9) and Baldwin Wallace, the seventh-ranked team in Division II, by a 25-7, 25-20 tally.

Outside hitter Joe Julkowski (Carol Stream, Ill.), who was named the Midwest 10's Player of the Year in a ceremony at the tournament, led the Muskies with 55 kills and four service aces in the tournament.

Sophomore setter Mitch Wiskirchen (Schaumburg, Ill.) tallied 137 assists, while middle hitter Avdo Omerbegovic (Chicago, Ill.), a second team All-Midwest 10 team honoree, totaled 19 blocks.

Midwest 10 Libero of the Year Andrew Cheever, a sophomore from Milwaukee, Wis., finished with a team-high 38 digs.

Lakeland moves on to play in the National Collegiate Volleyball Federation (NCVF) National Championships this Thursday, April 1, through Saturday, April 3, in Louisville, Ky. The Muskies haven't finished outside of the Top 10 in the tournament since the 2003-04 season, and won the national title in 2008.

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