LAKE WALES, Fla. (February 19, 2020) – Despite a rally facing a two-sets-to-zero deficit, the Webber International University men's volleyball team lost for the first time during Mid-South Conference play so far during its 2020 campaign, dropping a 3-1 (25-18, 25-19, 19-25, 25-23) decision on the road against Crooked Lake rival Warner University on Wednesday night inside the Turner Athletic Center.

Down two sets to zero, kills by Justin Beecher and Daniel Hermida bookended a 4-0 Webber run to put the Warriors up 20-15 in the third set. A kill by Bryant Herrera then put Webber ahead by six in the frame at 23-17 before an assisted block by Herrera and Orlando Fletcher got the Warriors on the scoreboard down two sets to one.

In the fourth set, Webber led by scores of 20-17 and 21-19 late and looked to be on track to force a deciding fifth set before the hometown Royals put their foot down with four straight kills to jump ahead by two at 23-21. A kill by Hermida got Webber back to within one at 24-23 before the fourth kill in the last six Royals' points by Eduardo Ayala ended the night.

The Warriors had strong statistical performances from Hermida with 14 kills and six digs; Herrera with a career-high 11 kills, a great .450 attack percentage and five blocks; Beecher with a season-high in both kills and digs with nine and seven respectively; Fletcher with seven kills; Steven Bartlett with 14 digs; Tim Rouch Jr. matching his season-high in assists with 22; and Kyle Robertson with 21 assists.

Hermida has now recorded 11 or more kills in all eight of Webber's matches so far this season and has finished with six or more digs four times.

The Warriors also had nine service aces compared to three for Warner, getting at least one ace from seven different players, but Webber was also out-blocked 14-5.

Webber fell to 6-2 overall and 3-1 in the Mid-South Conference while Warner improved to 7-2 and 4-0 with what was its fifth win in a row.

Next up for Webber men's volleyball is a stretch of five consecutive home matches beginning with three straight conference matches. It all begins with the Warriors hosting Life University at 7 p.m. on Friday, February 28. Life defeated the Warriors 3-0 (26-24, 25-18, 25-18) earlier this season on February 14 during the Webber POD Tournament inside the Sabbagh Athletic Center.