DUDLEY, Mass. (3/28/2025) – In the first ever meeting of the two programs, the Nichols College men's volleyball team fell to visitor No. 2 Southern Virginia University, 3-0 in non-conference play Friday night at the Nichols Athletic Center.

The Bison move to 13-14 (4-0 NEVC) overall, while the Knights remain unbeaten at 25-0 (7-0 CVC).

Tanner Soracco delivered 11 kills on a team-best .346 clip, with eight digs, two blocks and a service ace. Jack Normandin tossed in eight kills on his own .217 hitting percentage, while Chandler Olson and Evan Sachs combined for 25 assists in the effort. As a team, the Bison were limited to just .144 hitting against the Knights, but held an 8-5 edge in total blocks at the net.

The Bison held their own in the first set against the ranked Knights, going point-for-point with the visitors up to a 12-12 stalemate, with Soracco and Dylan Knapp each connecting for two kills apiece. However, it was at this point that SVU fired off a 9-1 run to open up a 21-13 cushion, which proved to be enough to hold the Bison attack at bay for the remainder of the frame. The Knights went on to win the set, 25-18.

Nichols regained its composure in the middle frame and built a 14-12 edge on a Normandin kill. However, the Knights continued to find success late in the set, this time in the form of a 10-3 run to reclaim the lead, and control of the match, 22-17. The Bison were able to land two more points on the board, but to no avail as the Knights took the win, 25-19.

The Bison had to battle their way back from a 7-2 deficit early in the third set, but four errors by the Knights and a pair of Soracco kills helped them do just that, ultimately tying the score at 10-all. Despite this, it was the closest the Bison would get as SVU slowly rebuilt their lead to as many as six points, eventually winning the match via a 25-20 final in the final frame.

The Bison turn right back around for a doubleheader against conference opponent VTSU-Johnson (6-10, 0-4 NEVC) on Saturday, March 29^th. Match times are set for Noon and 2:00 PM at the Nichols Athletic Center.