FREDERICK, Md. – The Neumann University men's volleyball team picked up a pair of wins at the Hood College tri-match on Saturday. The Knights defeated the host Blazers 3-0, followed by the University of Valley Forge 3-1.
 
In the first match, the Knights defeated the Blazers in straight sets, 25-17, 25-14 and 25-23. Veryl Burns led Neumann with 12 kills and a .409 hitting percentage. Christian Johnson handed out 29 assists. Brandon Baskerville tallied 13 digs.
 
Hood scored the first four points of the match. Down 8-4, Neumann scored five straight points to take a 9-8 lead, capped on a service ace by Johnson. After tying the match at nine, the Knights then scored seven of the next nine points for a 16-11 advantage. A kill by James Pollard brought Neumann to set point, which it got on a service error by Hood.
 
In the second set, the Knights scored the first four points. Neumann slowly built its lead throughout the set to come away with the 25-14 win. The Knights held the lead for most of the third set, but the Blazers weren't going away easily and tied the match at 20. After trading points, two kills by Burns helped get Neumann to match point, 24-21. Hood tallied the next two points for a 24-23 score before another kill by Burns sealed the win for the Knights.
 
In the second match of the day, Neumann defeated Valley Forge 3-1. The teams split the first two set, with the Knights winning set one 25-18. The Patriots took set two 25-17. Neumann came back to take the match with 25-22 and 25-17 wins in sets three and four.
 
Burns tallied 18 kills, TJ McConnell 17 and Manny Waugh added 15 in the win. Johnson dished out 43 assists. Baskerville notched 15 digs while McConnell and Johnson each added 11.
 
Leading 7-6 in the first set, Neumann scored four points to take an 11-6 edge. The Knights used that cushion as the teams went back and forth the rest of the set for the 25-18 win. The Patriots jumped out to an early 8-2 lead in the second set. Neumann climbed back and tied the set at nine. The teams again went back and forth until the Patriots, leading 19-17, scored the next six points to take the second set.
 
Set three continued to go back and forth. Tied at 21, kills by Burns, Benjamin Elko and Waugh set up for Waugh to tally a 25-22 set winning kill. For the first time this season, Neumann went past three sets. The fourth set was like the rest, with the team's trading points. Tied at 10, the Knights rattled off seven points. Neumann used that lead to come away with the 25-17 set four win, capped on a kill by Waugh.
 
Neumann (3-7) returns home on Thursday when it will host Cairn. Action is slated to begin at 7:00 PM.