The #17 Misericordia University men's volleyball team lost 3-0 at eighth-ranked Messiah in a match-up of nationally-ranked teams, Wednesday.

Messiah took all three sets by identical 25-18 scores to take over sole possession of second place in the MAC.

Jared Piontkowski led the Cougars with nine kills while Anthony DePalma had six kills and two blocks.

Benjamin Clendening had three kills and three blocks.

Gannon DeFrain had 15 assists.

In the opening set, DePalma and Piontkowski had kills to go along with three Messiah errors in a 5-2 run to get the Cougars within 14-13.

Messiah scored six of the next seven points to take a 20-14 lead.

Thomas Young had two aces and a kill to cut the deficit to 22-16 in the second set.  The teams alternated scoring the last five points of the set.

The Cougars made another late charge in the third set.  Down 21-12, Piontkowski had two kills in a 4-1 run to make it 22-16.

The Cougars will wrap-up their regular season schedule when they host Stevenson and St. John Fisher, April 5.