The Benedictine Mesa Men's Volleyball team endured a hard-fought battle against OUAZ on Wednesday night, ultimately falling short in five sets with final scores of 25-16, 18-25, 25-21, 17-25, 13-15.

In the opening set, Benedictine seized an early lead courtesy of a Trevor Weinert kill and errors from OUAZ. However, the Spirit rallied with four consecutive kills to take the lead. Despite a valiant effort from the Redhawks, including a pivotal 5-point run highlighted by kills from Dapre Rogers and Gehrig Tolman, OUAZ couldn't halt BenU's momentum, resulting in a 25-16 set win for the Redhawks.

The second set saw OUAZ assert dominance early with two quick kills, though errors allowed BenU to briefly claim the lead. A 6-point surge from OUAZ proved decisive as Benedictine fought hard but ultimately dropped the set 18-25.

In the third set, the Redhawks initiated a 4-point run featuring aces and blocks, maintaining their lead amidst a closely contested exchange of points. With set point in sight, Benedictine clinched the set 25-21 thanks to a kill from Raczka and an error by the Spirit.

OUAZ seized control early in the fourth set, establishing a lead that proved insurmountable despite Benedictine's efforts. The Spirit claimed the set 17-25, forcing a decisive fifth set.

In a tense finale, both teams battled fiercely, with Benedictine initially taking a 4-2 lead before OUAZ rallied to edge ahead 7-6. Despite a resilient effort from the Redhawks, highlighted by a crucial kill from Weinert, OUAZ ultimately sealed the victory with a final decisive kill, ending the match 13-15 in their favor.

Key Players:
- Dapre Rogers led his team with 13 kills, along with 2 aces and 3 blocks.
- Trevor Weinert contributed 7 kills, 2 aces, 2 assists, and 2 digs.
- Josh Beymer recorded 6 kills and 3 blocks.

Looking Ahead:
The Redhawks return to action on Wednesday at home against Hope International University at 7 PM.