MILWAUKEE, Wisc. – The Panthers, along with 15 other teams, competed in the Midwest DII Invitational over Saturday and Sunday. Davenport opened the tournament by playing three pool play games on pool B. The Panthers played Creighton, Carroll, and Wisconsin-Stevens Point on Saturday. The teams then divided into another four pools to determine the seeding for the championship brackets. Davenport played Lincoln, Lewis, and Saint Louis over Saturday and Sunday. After the brackets were determined, the Panthers play the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse on the quarterfinals and advanced to the semifinals, where they lost to Lincoln College.
 
MATCH 1 (Creighton) (Pool B-Match 1)
Final Score: Davenport 2, Creighton 0
Location: Milwaukee Sting Center
Record: Davenport 15-2
Set Scores: 25-16, 25-17

STAT LEADERS
Kills: Nathanael Vander Meer (10)
Total Attacks: Vander Meer (24)
Hitting Percentage (Minimum 5 attacks): Vander Meer (.292)
Assists: Christopher Croft (10)
Service Aces: Khari Jones (3)
Block Solo: N/A
Block Assist: Jacob Mais (3)
Digs: Jones (9)
Points: Vander Meer (11.5)
 
MATCH 2 (Carroll) (Pool B-Match 2)
Final Score: Davenport 2, Carroll 0
Location: Milwaukee Sting Center
Record: Davenport 16-2
Set Scores: 25-16, 25-15

STAT LEADERS
Kills: Vander Meer (12)
Total Attacks: Vander Meer (13)
Hitting Percentage (Minimum 5 attacks): Vander Meer (.923)
Assists: Croft (24)
Service Aces: Vander Meer (2)
Block Solo: N/A
Block Assist: Joseph Tubman/Vander Meer (1)
Digs: Vander Meer (7)
Points: Vander Meer (14.5)
 
MATCH 3 (Wisconsin-Stevens Point) (Pool B-Match 3)
Final Score: Davenport 2, Stevens Point 0
Location: Milwaukee Sting Center
Record: Davenport 17-2
Set Scores: 25-18, 25-15

STAT LEADERS
Kills: Vander Meer (9)
Total Attacks: Vander Meer (19)
Hitting Percentage (Minimum 5 attacks): Gyrez Gaspard (.600)
Assists: Croft (15)
Service Aces: Jason Mais (3)
Block Solo: Jake Fleming/Jacob Mais/Gaspard/Tubman (1)
Block Assist: Gaspard (2)
Digs: Jones (8)
Points: Vander Meer (9.5)
 
MATCH 4 (Lincoln) (Pool AA-Match 1)
Final Score: Davenport 0, Lincoln 2
Location: Milwaukee Sting Center
Record: Davenport 17-3
Set Scores: 26-24, 25-23

STAT LEADERS
Kills: Vander Meer (14)
Total Attacks: Vander Meer (28)
Hitting Percentage (Minimum 5 attacks): Croft (.400)
Assists: Croft (18)
Service Aces: Croft/Jones (1)
Block Solo: Jason Mais (2)
Block Assist: Vander Meer/Gaspard (1)
Digs: Croft (6)
Points: Vander Meer (15.5)
 
MATCH 5 (Lewis) (Pool AA-Match 2)
Final Score: Davenport 2, Lewis 0
Location: Milwaukee Sting Center
Record: Davenport 18-3
Set Scores: 25-20, 25-18

STAT LEADERS
Kills: Vander Meer (12)
Total Attacks: Vander Meer (25)
Hitting Percentage (Minimum 5 attacks): Jason Mais (.500)
Assists: Croft (21)
Service Aces: Kevin DeYoung/Vander Meer/Croft (1)
Block Solo: Jason Mais/Croft/Vander Meer (1)
Block Assist: Vander Meer/Tubman (3)
Digs: Jones (11)
Points: Vander Meer (15.5)
 
MATCH 6 (Saint Louis) (Pool AA-Match 3)
Final Score: Davenport 1, Saint Louis 2
Location: Milwaukee Sting Center
Record: Davenport 18-4
Set Scores: 21-25, 25-21, 15-11

STAT LEADERS
Kills: Vander Meer (17)
Total Attacks: Vander Meer (52)
Hitting Percentage (Minimum 5 attacks): Croft (.357)
Assists: Croft (23)
Service Aces: N/A
Block Solo: Vander Meer (1)
Block Assist: Jacob Mais/Vander Meer (1)
Digs: Jones (18)
Points: Vander Meer (18.5)
 
MATCH 7 (University of Wisconsin-La Crosse) (Gold Bracket-Quarterfinals)
Final Score: Davenport 2, Wisconsin-La Crosse 1
Location: Milwaukee Sting Center
Record: Davenport 19-4
Set Scores: 11-25, 25-20, 15-13

STAT LEADERS
Kills: Vander Meer (14)
Total Attacks: Vander Meer (32)
Hitting Percentage (Minimum 5 attacks): Jason Mais (.231)
Assists: Croft (23)
Service Aces: Vander Meer (1)
Block Solo: Fleming (2)
Block Assist: Jacob Mais (4)
Digs: Jones (10)
Points: Vander Meer (16.0)
 
MATCH 8 (Lincoln) (Gold Bracket-Semifinals)
Final Score: Davenport 1, Lincoln 2
Location: Milwaukee Sting Center
Record: Davenport 19-5
Set Scores: 22-25, 25-18, 15-12

STAT LEADERS
Kills: Vander Meer (16)
Total Attacks: Vander Meer (43)
Hitting Percentage (Minimum 5 attacks): Jason Mais (.579)
Assists: Croft (28)
Service Aces: Vander Meer (1)
Block Solo: Vander Meer (1)
Block Assist: Jacob Mais (3)
Digs: Jones (12)
Points: Vander Meer (18.5)
 
Vander Meer was selected to the All-Tournament team. He totaled 104 kills, hit .303 on 238 total attacks, recorded 11 assists, and had six service aces.


 
UP NEXT
The Panthers take on Lawrence Tech on the road on Tuesday.
 
Story by: Devin Steiner
 
Picture credit: Tyler Triemstra