The Misericordia University men's volleyball team earned a tough 3-2 win over Wilkes, Tuesday night in the Anderson Center.

Ryan Miller led the Cougars with 19 kills and three aces while Caleb Bauder had 11 kills and four aces and Matt Lavin had 11 kills and two aces.

Bailey Brugler had 41 assists and Mike Mohutsky had a team-high 10 digs.

The Cougars rallied to take the first set, 26-24 before dropping the second, 25-17. MU took the third set, 25-19, while Wilkes won the fourth set, 25-21, to force the decisive set which Misericordia won, 15-9.

The Cougars trailed throughout the first set before finally pulling even, 20-20, on Bauder's ace. MU took its first lead on a Wilkes' error on the next point.

Tied 24-24, MU closed the set on a Wilkes' service error and a smash by Miller through two blockers on the left side.

Wilkes took a 4-0 lead in the second set and never trailed to pull even.

Lavin's ace in the left corner gave MU a 6-2 lead the third set. Bauder had two aces to stretch MU's lead to 17-9. Wilkes rallied to get within 19-18, but Michael Trygar won a battle at the net to ignite a 4-0 run to give the Cougars a 23-19 lead.

After Wilkes took a point, the Cougars closed out the win on a service error and attack error.

Wilkes rallied from an early deficit with four straight points to take a 7-6 in the fourth set. The Colonels built a 22-15 lead and held off a late MU charge to win 25-21.

A block by Brugler and Lavin gave the Cougars a 2-0 lead in the third set and the Cougars scored five straight points to take a 10-4 lead.

Wilkes scored three straight, but the Cougars answered with three of their own, including two kills by Miller, for a 13-7 lead.

After two Wilkes points, the Cougars closed the match on a service error and a smash down the middle by Miller.