BANNER

VTSU Johnson rolled to back‑to‑back sweeps over Fisher College on Saturday in Carter Gym, winning both matches 3-0 to complete a dominant home doubleheader.

SUMMARY

The Badgers set the tone early in Match 1, racing ahead behind the attacking duo of Luke Walters and Io Binder, who combined for 22 kills in the opening sweep. Walters opened the scoring with a sharp cross‑court swing before adding a pair of early aces to spark a 9-3 run. Binder took over from the left side midway through the set, hammering three kills in a four‑point stretch to extend the lead to 17–9. Johnson hit .321 in the opening frame and cruised to a 25–14 win.

Fisher battled in the second set, pulling within 11-9, but Zeek Pontiatowski steadied the offense with precise distribution and two timely aces to push the lead to 17-11. Walters and Binder added back‑to‑back kills as Johnson pulled away 25-15. In the third, the Badgers' serve pressure again proved decisive as Carter, Walters, and Pontiatowski combined for six aces in a 25-16 closing frame.

Match 2 featured a new attacking rhythm but the same level of control. After an uneven first set offensively, Binder delivered a kill and followed with an ace to break a 14-14 tie, helping Johnson pull away 25-18. The second set belonged to Liam Carrick, who fired three aces in a five‑point burst that turned a 7-6 edge into a 12-6 lead. The Badgers continued their momentum, taking the set 25-16.

Binder continued to power the offense in the third set, scoring three points in a row to push Johnson ahead 19-13. A strong defensive stretch from Jayda Dominguez and Carter Hubley closed the match, and Binder sealed the doubleheader sweep with a final kill to secure the 25-15 win.

KEY STATS

Match 1

• Luke Walters: 13 kills, 4 aces, 6 digs
• Io Binder: 9 kills (.727), 8 digs
• Zeek Pontiatowski: 24 assists, 4 kills, 7 digs
• Team: 36 kills, .347 hitting, 10 aces, 6 blocks

Match 2

• Io Binder: 10 kills, 4 aces, 9 digs
• Liam Carrick: 3 kills, 4 aces
• Alex Carter: 3 kills, 2 blocks
• Team: 12 aces, 5 blocks, 38 digs

Doubleheader Totals

• Binder: 19 kills, 8 aces, 17 digs
• Pontiatowski: 43 assists
• Johnson: 59 kills, 22 aces, 6‑for‑6 in sets played

UP NEXT

The Badgers return to action on the road Friday for a non‑conference matchup as they continue their early‑season slate against the Rivier Raiders for a 6 pm game time.