FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Lawrence Tech pushed Indiana Tech to the wire in the final two sets but came up short in a 3-0 road loss Friday night at the Schaefer Center, falling 25-18, 25-23, 25-23 in men's volleyball action.
The Blue Devils were statistically close to the Warriors in several categories, finishing with 37 kills to Indiana Tech's 39 and matching the hosts at 37 assists. However, Indiana Tech's greater efficiency on the attack – a .315 hitting percentage compared with Lawrence Tech's .184 – and a 10-attack-error margin proved decisive in key stretches of each set.
Junior outside hitter Mario Cid led Lawrence Tech offensively with 13 kills on 25 swings, hitting .240 while adding five digs and totaling 15.0 points. Fellow outside Gustavo Machado provided a strong second option on the pin, finishing with 10 kills on 22 attempts and an efficient .364 hitting percentage to go with five digs and 11.5 points. Setter Pedro Aguiar directed the Blue Devils' attack with 33 assists and chipped in five digs as the offense generated 37 kills on 87 attempts.
In the opening set, Lawrence Tech stayed within striking distance before a mid-to-late Indiana Tech run created separation. The Blue Devils' offense produced 18 points in the frame, but the Warriors capitalized on multiple transition opportunities and a service ace from Taiki Peterson to pull away for a 25-18 decision. Indiana Tech outside hitter Dylan Poore contributed several kills during that surge, setting the tone for the night.
The Blue Devils responded with their strongest stretches in the second set, trading points in a frame that featured multiple lead changes. Cid sparked the attack with a service ace and several kills as Lawrence Tech kept the pressure on from the service line and at the net. Despite the push, Poore again delivered for Indiana Tech, closing the set with late kills, including the final swing in a narrow 25-23 result that put the Warriors up 2-0.
Lawrence Tech continued to battle in the third, once more pushing the set to 23-23 before Indiana Tech closed it out. The Blue Devils' block recorded 7.0 total team blocks (2 solo, 10 assist), helping slow the Warriors' attack at times, and the back row collected 32 digs to extend rallies. However, Indiana Tech maintained its hitting efficiency and used its own net play – 11.0 total team blocks – to turn back late Blue Devils swings. Poore ended the match with another decisive kill, securing the 25-23 win and the sweep.
Defensively, Lawrence Tech limited Indiana Tech to just three service aces while forcing 13 service errors, but the Blue Devils were unable to fully convert those extra opportunities into points. The team finished with 46.0 total points (kills, aces and blocks), while the Warriors totaled 53.0. Indiana Tech's Nolan Bosley matched Aguiar with 33 assists and added eight digs, guiding the home offense down the stretch of each set.
Lawrence Tech will look to build on the competitive late-set play as it moves deeper into the 2026 campaign, with Cid, Machado and Aguiar providing a solid foundation for the Blue Devils' attack heading into conference tests ahead.
