FORT WAYNE, Ind.  — Meeting for the first time since 2012, the No. 1 Carthage College Firebirds kicked off their 2023 campaign playing Purdue Fort Wayne in the Gates Sports Center Friday night. 


 

• Final score: Purdue Fort Wayne 3 - Carthage 0
• Location: Fort Wayne, Indiana - Gates Sports Center
• Records: Purdue Fort Wayne (2-1), Carthage (0-1)

 
 

• The Mastodons started set one up 7-5 off a service error. 
• Carthage got within one with a kill from Kyle Radecki at 14-13. 
•  Purdue Fort Wayne strung together a 6-2 run extending their lead to five. 
• The Firebirds kept the home team at set point as Radecki added another kill, and a block from Mitch Geiger and David Markes made it 24-22. 
• The Mastodons took the first with a final kill. 
• Carthage turned the tables in the second, putting together an 8-2 run to start. 
• Purdue Fort Wayne retaliated with a run, tying it at 10.
• Later, two Firebird attack errors extended the lead to 16-12. 
• Carter Schmidt connected on a kill cutting the margin to two; however, the Mastodons held on to win the second 25-23. 
• In the third, another kill from Geiger tied it at 13. 
• With the score even at 16, Purdue Fort Wayne used a quick 5-2 run to widen the gap to 21-18. 
• Although a kill from Schmidt and a Mastodons attack error slashed the lead to one, the home team won the match with a final kill 25-23. 

 

• Carter Schmidt and Kyle Radecki both led the Firebirds in kills with 12, followed closely by David Markes with eight. 
• Markes also led Carthage in aces (two) and blocks (three). 
• Junior Gene McNulty picked up where he left off last season, collecting 40 assists in the match. 

"It was awesome to start our season today and play in front of a rowdy crowd," said head coach JW Kieckhefer. "We have been waiting so long to get back together as a team, and I wouldn't want to go to battle with any other group.

We struggled today with consistency. When we were playing our system, we dictated the match and made some really great runs. Unfortunately, we could not produce that level of play for a long enough time.

I was so impressed with Kyle Radecki in his first start. He has been great all year, and I am so proud of him for taking that over into a match environment. David Markes was a spark for us with some clutch serving and impressive blocking moves.

We are close. There is a lot to learn from this weekend, which is why we came out this way so early in the year. We worked hard today, and I'm so proud of that effort."

 

• The Firebirds return home for the season's home opener against Lakeland on Thursday, January 19 at 6 p.m.