THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – The Cal Lutheran men's volleyball team split in their 2025 debut, picking up a three set win over Calvin before falling in five to Mount Union at the CLU Invitational.
Before their first match, the nine returning players alongside their coaches, former teammates, and athletic staff were honored with their 2024 National Championship rings.
NO. 3 CAL LUTHERAN 3, CALVIN 0
The Kingsmen wasted no time in living up to their championship name as they defeated the Knights 25-14, 25-14, 25-11.
Cal Lutheran outperformed Calvin in every statistical category, enjoying a 27-17 advantage in kills while out-digging and out-blocking the Knights 36-22 and 8-2, respectively.
Graduate student
Michael Stahl led the way with nine kills for a .500 hitting percentage, followed by
Jordan Cooper's seven kills and
Ben Weber's four. Freshman
Keaton Hendry posted 20 assists in his first collegiate start, and junior transfer
Braden Gonzales held down the back row with nine digs.
MOUNT UNION 3, NO. 3 CAL LUTHERAN 2
The Kingsmen started off strong in their second match, but were unable to pull one final set from the Purple Raiders, falling 25-13, 25-21, 18-25, 24-26, 11-15.
Head Coach
Kevin Judd said, "every team is gunning for us, and while this loss stings, it's a reminder of what we can control: our mindset, our focus, and our determination".
Mount Union just barely held the advantage in kills (57-54) as they kept the Kingsmen to a .248 attack percentage in comparison to their .267. The Raiders hit .615 in the third set, which seemed to have been the momentum killer as the match went on.
It was the Cooper show as he led with 26 kills (.438 pct), five blocks, and three service aces across the five sets. Hendry tallied 41 assists and Gonzales added 10 more digs to end the night.
"It's early in the season, and we have plenty of time to build the mental toughness we need," Judd added. "We have to stay hungry, stay sharp, and learn from every challenge moving forward".
Cal Lutheran looks to bounce back as they close out the tournament tomorrow, facing Wisconsin Lutheran at 12 PM.
