GENEVA, N.Y. – The Trine University men's volleyball team split a pair of four set matches this afternoon at the Hobart Invitational. Trine (4-5) fell in the first game to Nazareth (7-2) and rebounded with a win over Hobart (4-5) in game two.  
 
Nazareth took the first match 23-25, 20-25, 30-28, 17-25. Johnson-Kuhao Ho'okano-Pelekai led Trine with 18 kills. The Golden Flyers hit better than .300 in each of the first two sets to claim the pair. In set one Trine saw a 15-13 lead turn to a 21-17 deficit and were unable to rally. The second set opened with a 10-4 run from Nazareth who took control early and went up two sets to none.
 
Trine appeared headed for a three set loss when the Flyers again used a hot start to lead 16-7 in set three. A 7-0 run brought the Thunder back into the fold as the Flyers struggled to return the serves of Ho'okano-Pelekai. The Thunder took their first lead at 25-24 with a kill from Seth McDonald, the teams swapped the next eight points before a kill from Karl Both and a Flyer attack error won the set for the Thunder. The Flyers would control set four early and win the match 3-1.
 
John Mikrut posted 16 kills in the second match as Trine posted a four set victory over the Statesmen. Bryce Tupaz added four aces and 44 assists. Trine took the match 25-23, 14-25, 25-22, 29-27.
 
Mikrut and Both led the way with three kills in set one and Trine scored six of the final nine points to take the set. Hobart quickly leveled the match at one set each. Trine led early in set three but pulled out to a 15-9 lead with a 6-0 run behind kills from Ty Freeman, Mikrut, and Ho'okano-Pelekai. Zach Mikrut ended set three with a kill.
 
The Statesmen led the majority of set four, desperate to force a fifth set, taking a 17-14 lead. Trine turned the tables with a 7-2 run to regain the lead behind a pair of kills from Ho'okano-Pelekai. John and Zach Mikrut each notched two kills as the game went to extra points. Trine broke a 27 all tie with a service error and Ho'okano-Pelekai ended the match with a swing to give Trine the win.

Trine will take on New Jersey City tomorrow afternoon as they wrap up the Hobart Invitational.