ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Two weeks after earning the program's first ranked win, the Trine University men's volleyball team has its second ranked win, the Thunder toppled #17 Thiel College in straight sets to close out day two of the Nazareth University Invitational.
 
Johnson-Kuhao Ho'okano-Pelekai registered 11 kills, three aces, two digs, and a block for the Thunder who hit .318 as a team and better than .400 in sets two and three. Bryce Tupaz dished out 29 assists and Seth McDonald tallied four blocks.
 
Trine took the match 25-19, 25-20, 25-20. Zach Mikrut opened up set one with two kills in another impressive individual performance, Mikrut hit .500 on the match with just one error. The early 4-0 lead would hold the entire way. Thiel would get as close a 16-14 but a 6-1 run would put the set in hand for Trine and was ended by Karl Both who hit .700 on the match.
 
The Thunder offense was nearly untouchable in sets two and three, hitting .444 in set two and .440 in set three. Trine fell behind 7-6 in the second set, but turned the Tomcat lead into a 17-12 advantage with four kills and four aces, Both and Ho'okano-Pelekai had a pair of perfect serves and Both added two kills. Trine closed out the set with two more aces, one from John Mikrut and the final point on the serve of Both.
 
McDonald posted a pair of blocks to help the Thunder to an 11-5 lead in set three that would hold the rest of the way. Trine scored seven straight points by swing down the stretch to claim the set and the match.
 
Trine now turns its attention to Midwest Collegiate Volleyball League action next weekend when they travel to Wittenberg University on Friday and Mount St. Joseph on Saturday.