Club/HS
AAU Boys’ National Championships 2025 – Wave 2 Day 1 Recap
July 4, 2025
The Daemen Wildcats traveled to North Andover to take on the Merrimack Warriors for KP’S D I-II Match of the Week on Saturday, March 8th. The two programs battled, and the Warriors came out on top (27-25, 22-25, 25-22, 25-20).
Both programs are products of the recent growth of NCAA adding D I-II programs. Merrimack is currently in year three and Daemen is in the middle of their seventh season. “It feels like we are trending the right direction. They usually say it takes about three years to see a coach’s influence on a program and it feels like things are coming together. We have high aspirations as a program and it’s nice to see us taking steps towards our goals, “said Merrimack Head Coach Ray Lewis.
When Daemen started their program Don Gleason was at the helm. He recently took the PFW job, and it gave Darek Przybyl an opportunity to take over the program. Prior to being named the head coach Przybyl was the Wildcats assistant for six seasons. “My assistant coach, Michael Krueger, and I have been with this program since day one, and the transformation in physicality within our gym is remarkable compared to the early years. Our program is on an upward trajectory and will remain competitive for years. With a strong 2025 recruiting class, we are confident that Daemen will continue making its mark on the national stage. We knew from the start that facing Merrimack would be a tough battle. I have immense respect for Coach Lewis and the incredible program he has built. We only wish they were still in the NEC so we’d have the chance to compete against them again.” said Daemen Head Coach Darek Przybyl.
The Wildcats used a 6-1 run to go up 13-8 in set one and were at one point up 18-13. Merrimack made a push to only trail the Wildcats 19-18. The Warriors found themselves down late in the set 23-20 and had some timely points from outside hitter Logan Whitaker. With the Warriors down 23-24 Whitaker had a big block and later recorded an ace to help lead his team to a 27-25 set win. “Logan was clutch for us. He is a stalwart of our offense and continues to be reliable in big moments. We value his leadership and work ethic,” said Coach Lewis.
In set two the Warriors came out hot and jumped out to an 11-6 lead. At the start of the set, brothers Isaiah and Kai Vogal had some key blocks and provided good service pressure. The Wildcats weathered the storm and started chipping away. They took the lead late in the set. The Warriors made a late push, but it was Daemen that took set two 25-22. Coach Przybyl spoke highly about how his team never gives up and has the maturity to come to win sets if they are down early. “We have a relentless team that never backs down. Our practice gym is highly competitive, pushing us to elevate each other daily and grow stronger together,” said Coach Przybyl.
Early in set three both teams were exchanging points. The Warriors went on a 7-2 run to open up a 17-12 lead. Merrimack held the momentum and won the set 25-22. For set four the teams were again knotted up early at 10’s. Merrimack continued the theme of playing better for longer periods of time. They jumped out to a 16-11 lead and never looked back, winning the set and match 25-20.
For the Warriors Whitaker came up clutch in key moments, he finished the match with 18 kills, three blocks and two aces. Sophomore Reece Lindstrom ran an effective offense and finished with 41 assists. Freshman Ephraim Abhulime recorded 10 kills out of the middle and hit a sizzling .615. “I thought it was a great match. It’s fun to see such high caliber of volleyball being played in the Northeast. Daemen is a solid team, it was a great win for the program,” said Coach Lewis.
The Wildcats were led by Redshirt Junior Billy Wieberg who had five aces, eight digs and a match high 18 kills. Sophomore Bradyn Winters dished out 32 assists. Graduate student Zach Schneider and freshman Patick Mullen both contributed six kills. “Billy has truly stepped into a leadership role and elevated his game to the next level. His dedication and commitment have been outstanding, and we’re all excited to see him shine during conference play,” said Coach Przybyl.
Daemen fell to 9-4 after the match and saw their five-match winning streak come to the end. “We knew from the start that facing Merrimack would be a tough battle. I have immense respect for Coach Lewis and the incredible program he has built. We only wish they were still in the NEC so we’d have the chance to compete against them again,” said Coach Przybyl. The Wildcats look to get back to their winning ways on Thursday, March 20th in Fairfax, Virginia where they will play host George Mason and finish up the tournament against UC Irvine.
Merrimack earned win number seven on the season, and the following day beat Roberts Wesleyan to improve to 8-4 on the season. The Warriors will hit the road to take on St. Thomas Aquinas and Geroge Mason this upcoming weekend.
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