SANTA CLARITA, Calif. – The Concordia University Irvine men's volleyball team dropped the second match of its two-game series against The Master's on Saturday evening, falling in straight sets 25-18, 25-21, 25-23 at the MacArthur Center. 

The Golden Eagles looked to bounce back after a 3-1 loss at home in the series opener but were unable to slow a balanced Mustang attack and efficient hitting performance as The Master's improved to 4-0 on the season.

Concordia Irvine found its offensive rhythm in the second set, posting its best hitting percentage of the match at .375 behind 12 kills and just three errors. Despite the surge, The Master's matched the momentum and closed out the set at 25-21. The Golden Eagles carried their competitiveness into the third set, trimming the deficit late, but the Mustangs held on to secure the sweep.

Christian Galoppo led Concordia Irvine with nine kills, while Myles Henderson followed closely with eight kills and added two aces, two blocks, and four digs. Matt Fisher paced the offense with 15 assists and tied Troy Fleming for a team-high five digs. At the net, Nathan Habermas anchored the Golden Eagles' blocking presence, registering six of CUI's seven team blocks on the night. 

Concordia Irvine matched The Master's in digs with 27 and finished just one kill short of the Mustangs 33, but hitting efficiency proved to be the difference as the Mustangs posted a .297 attack percentage compared to CUI's .149.

Concordia Irvine will look to regroup as it continues non-conference play, aiming to translate competitive moments into complete performances moving forward.

UP NEXT: The Golden Eagles will #5 UC Irvine on Friday, Febuary 6 at 5:00 PM. 

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