SPARKILL, N.Y. – The Roberts Wesleyan University men's volleyball team dropped its East Coast Conference (ECC) opener at defending ECC champion Saint Thomas Aquinas College on Saturday afternoon.

The host Spartans won by scores of 25-19, 25-17 and 25-23.

Sophomore Paul Fillion had eight kills and freshman Ryan DeJohn added six kills with a .333 attack percentage for the Redhawks (6-8, 0-1). Freshman Landon Brouwer handed out a team-leading 25 assists while junior Moises Jimenez lad the defensive effort with six digs.

In the third set, freshman Jacob Grams recorded a kill and then teamed with Fillion for a block to knot the score at 20-20.

STAC scored three straight points to regain the lead but Roberts battled back again with a pair of Fillion kills and a STAC attack error to close to within a point at 24-23 but a late kill by the Spartans ended the match.

The Redhawks will host D'Youville at 7 p.m. on Monday at the Voller Athletic Center.