NORTH ANDOVER, Massachusetts - The American International College men's volleyball team fell 9-25, 15-25, 25-22, 19-25 to Merrimack College on Thursday, March 19.

AIC is now 1-14 on the season.

The Warriors took advantage of miscues by AIC early to rush to a 12-4 lead in the first, and another late run pushed the set completely out of reach for the Yellow Jackets. Back-to-back aces clinched a 1-0 lead for Merrimack.

In the second, Armani Anderson opened with a kill, but Merrimack responded with a 7-0 run to grab control. AIC was able to fight back somewhat, socring five out of six points to pull within a 12-9 margin, and kills by Anderson and Ray Peralta kept AIC close at 15-11, but the Warriors were again able to pull away and put down a set-point kill for a 2-0 lead.

Facing a 2-0 deficit, AIC went to work in the third, and took a 5-3 lead thanks to kills by Jamilson Depina Almeida and Anderson, and though the Warriors scored four straight, AIC was able to keep the set tight. A block by Alexander Vincent and Rian Woods put AIC back on top at 16-15, and shortly after, kills by Woods and Johnson pushed AIC up two. That lead expanded to 24-19 with a Peralta kill and an Aidan Miller ace, and Almeida slammed the finishing shot to the wood to give AIC the third.

Merrimack did not allow the comeback to go any further, quickly taking an 8-2 lead in the fourth and holding AIC at bay from there; though the Yellow Jackets rallied with four straight points on two occasions, the Warriors were able to finish the set and the win.

Depina Almeida led AIC with 14 kills and added eight digs, while Anderson collected nine kills. Woods made 23 assists on the night.

Fabian Lugo, who led AIC with 16 digs, started all four sets at libero. In doing so, he became the first player in program history to play in 250 sets in a career. 

AIC will return home and to East Coast Conference play on Saturday, March 21 at 1:00 p.m. against Saint Thomas Aquinas College.