The University of the Fraser Valley men's volleyball team dropped a four-set decision to the Vancouver Island Mariners on Friday night at the Envision Financial Athletic Centre.

The Cascades took the first set 25-20, but the CCAA No. 6-ranked Mariners fought back, winning the next three 25-21, 25-17, 25-21.

The win boosts the Mariners' record to 9-4 in PACWEST play, while the Cascades fall to 5-11. The two teams finish off their weekend series Saturday at 3 p.m. at the EFAC.

"I thought we started well," UFV head coach Nathan Bennett observed. "We played well early, and they weren't quite in the gym yet – they still had some travel legs under them. They got better as the game went on, for sure.

"A bystander could look at our team and know who's winning without looking at the scoreboard, though. I think we need to be more consistent in our body language. We were in the match, but in the end, we let it go from things we did on our side of the net."

The Cascades came out strong in the first set, building a 17-14 lead thanks to three kills apiece from Justin Peleshytyk and Caleb Kastelein. The Mariners battled back to tie it at 17, but after a UFV timeout, they reclaimed the momentum and cruised to a 25-20 set win.

There was nothing to separate the two teams throughout the vast majority of the second set as they exchanged points to 20-20. The Mariners then took advantage of some late Cascades errors, though, and took it 25-21.

The third set followed the same script, with neither team able to develop a sizable lead early. Landon Uy took charge for the Cascades with three kills in the opening stages, keeping his team close at 11-10. VIU would take control from there, closing it out 25-17.

The Mariners picked up where they left off at the end of the third set, opening up an 11-4 lead to start the fourth. The Cascades battled back to cut the deficit to 15-14, but the Mariners proved too much, finishing off the decisive set 25-21.

Kastelein paced the attack for the Cascades, posting a game-high 18 kills. Landon Uy registered 12 kills and 14 digs of his own, while Graham Walkey served up 37 set assists.

Jeff Webb led the way for the Mariners with 14 kills and nine digs, and Jordan Davis had 36 assists.