IRVINE, Calif. – The Concordia University Irvine men's volleyball team hosted USC on senior night and what a battle it was between the two teams. USC won in five sets with scores 25-20, 25-18, 22-25, 23-25, and 15-12.
 
Seniors Gil Herold, Christian Oviedo, Mason Mullins, Uriel Batista, and Kawika Simon were honored before the match with their families and friends. The seniors started the match and Mullins added a kill to the board along with Oviedo dishing out three assists.
 
The middles put on a show for the fans as they put up staggering numbers. Maxwell McCullough and Herold both finished with eight kills with no errors while hitting .800 or above. Each middle both added a solo block up at the net.
 
Freshmen Gage Doble and Scott Montez contributed on the outside position as Doble had six kills and seven digs while Montez had seven kills and six digs. Batista led the Golden Eagles with 19 kills and eight digs.
 
Setter Nathan Biteau dished out 43 assists and had seven digs from the back. Jacob Reilly was in the libero jersey and had four digs and some crucial plays to keep the rally alive for the Golden Eagles. Cruse Ae'a came into the game in the back row as as defensive specialist while Johnny Anselmo added five digs that were struck by the Trojans.
 
The Trojans came won the first two sets but the Golden Eagles but CUI came back to win the following two to force a fifth deciding set. The fifth set toggled between the teams until USC scored the last three points of the match take a 15-12 win.
 
The Golden Eagles will travel to Los Angeles, Calif. as they take on USC in a rematch on Saturday Apr. 15 at 7 p.m. as the last conference game of the season before the MPSF tournament.
 
To see the full CUI men's volleyball schedule click HERE.