Reading, Pa. (Feb. 21, 2017) – Alvernia University (8-4) earned a pair of 3-1 wins over Wilson College (4-10) and Wilkes University (5-6) to sweep a doubleheader Tuesday evening in non-conference men's volleyball action at Jack McCloskey Court.
 
Anthony Dadson recorded 27 total kills over two matches and Collin Welteroth added 22.  Justin Gibbs totaled 91 assists and 22 digs on the night, Ralph Lunati had four aces.
 
Alvernia 3, Wilson 1 (Match One)
 
Sophomore Anthony Dadson pounded down a match-high 17 kills to lead the Crusaders.  He opened with six kills in the first set as the Crusaders got on the board with a 25-21 win.  He had one kill in the second set with Wilson leveling the match with a 25-23 win, then had five each in the final two sets with Alvernia winning 25-23 and 25-22.
 
Freshman Ralph Lunati had 13 kills and Collin Welteroth reached double figures with 10.  Justin Gibbs dished out 49 assists and led the Crusaders with a dozen digs.
 
Dadson's sixth kill of the first set gave the Crusaders a 23-21 lead and the sophomore rotated into the serving position for the first time in the match.  Welteroth and Brendan Shovlin combined for a block to give the Crusaders a set point which they earned on a Shovlin kill.
 
The Crusaders held a 23-22 lead late in the second set looking to take a commanding 2-0 lead, but the Phoenix earned a sideout on a kill from Nick Baxter then closed out the second set on back to back hitting errors by the Crusaders.
 
Alvernia 3, Wilkes 1 (Match Two)
 
Alvernia scored five straight points on Spencer Matthews' serve to take a 10-5 lead in the opening set.  The lead grew to 15-9 before the Colonels started a comeback.  They earned a sideouts on the last 11 straight service rotations for the Crusaders and slowly chipped away at the lead eventually squaring the match at 22-all.  They broke a 23-all tie with an ace then Dylan Smith gave the Colonels the win in the opening set with a kill.
 
The Crusaders were able to get out to a 4-2 lead in the second set and never relinquished the lead.  The hosts never led by more than three points in the set, and eventually closed out a 25-22 win to level the match.
 
Alvernia went ahead 2-1 in the match with a 25-15 win in the third set hitting .333 as a team.
 
The Crusaders had a 15-10 lead midway through the fourth set only to see the Colonels battle back and take a 23-21 lead looking to force the fifth and deciding set.  Alvernia got a much-needed kill from Lunati and a block from Welteroth and Dadson to tie the set at 23-23, and the teams alternated serves until Gibbs was able to earn back-to-back points for a 27-25 win.
 
Alvernia returns to the conference schedule traveling to Thiel College on Friday.