After numerous close calls already this season, St. Ambrose recovered from dropping the first set to post a 23-25, 27-25, 25-18, 25-17 win at Roosevelt Thursday night.

The Bees let the first set slip away after building a 22-20 lead late. But they came up with big plays at the end of the second.

Missing out on its first chance to claim the set with a 24-23 lead, SAU found itself down 25-24 following a pair of Roosevelt points. But Anthony Anderson found Charlie Flynn for a kill to erase the Laker set point. Then St. Ambrose relied on its defense. First, Nick Fox came up with a big block to put the Bees in front 26-25. Then Fox and Jon Guch combined on a block to even the match at one set apiece.

From there, St. Ambrose (6-23, 1-5 CCAC) took control.

Nursing a 16-15 lead midway through the third, the Bees went on a four-point run. Fox had kills on the first two points. Guch added a kill and then Fox and Zander Larson teamed for a block that put SAU up 20-15. Roosevelt (8-13, 1-5 CCAC) got to within 20-18 before St. Ambrose won the final five points behind kills from Fox and Anderson.

The Bees pulled away in nearly the same spot in the fourth. Up 15-14, kills from Guch and Fox sandwiched around an RU hitting error sparked a run. Ethan Karban followed with an ace, and another Fox-Larson block built a 19-13 lead. Minutes later, the Bees closed out their win.

After recording nine kills and eight errors in the first set, SAU upped its play each set. St. Ambrose had 14 kills and five errors in the second, 13 kills and four errors in the third, and 11 kills without a single error in the fourth.

Fox led the team with 12 kills and nine total blocks. Flynn had 11 kills and Guch added 10. Cael Anderson finished with seven, Larson had four and Anthony Anderson ended with three in a balanced effort.

Anthony Anderson led the way with 39 assists. Karban picked up 16 digs. Guch and Richard Reed IV each had seven, and Dillon Markley was credited with six.

Flynn was in on six blocks while Cael and Anthony Anderson each registered five.

The Bees will return home to host Calumet St. Joseph Tuesday.