Men’s Volleyball Sweeps By Bard College, 3-0

ANNANDALE-ON-HUDSON, N.Y. – Elms College freshman outside hitter Jeff Vautrin (Chicopee, Mass.) downed a match-best 15 kills and junior setter Daniel Lebron (San Juan, Puerto Rico) added 29 assists and 16 digs – both match-highs – to help spark the Blazers to a 3-0 (25-21, 25-21, 25-20) victory over Bard College in Tuesday evening's non-conference men's volleyball match at Stevenson Gymnasium.

With the win, Elms improves to 5-2 on the season, while Bard falls to 1-6 overall.

Leading 22-21 after playing to five ties in the opening frame, sophomore middle hitter Angel Castro (Carolina, Puerto Rico) took over, producing a kill and two consecutive blocks to lift Elms to a first-set victory, 25-21

After battling to eight ties in similar fashion in the second set, Elms extended its lead to 22-19 when senior outside hitter Stephen Cameron (Newington, Conn.) floored back-to-back kills, as the Blazers scored three of the final five points to post a 25-21 set two win and stake a 2-0 lead in the match.

In the third frame, Bard raced out to an early 8-5 lead before the Blazers responded to level the set at 14-14, highlighted by a string of four straight points including a kill from Vautrin and a service ace from junior setter Kevin Welsh (Wilbraham, Mass.).

The Raptors cut their deficit to 22-20, but Elms completed the sweep by scoring the final three points, including a match-ending ace from Lebron.

Castro and Cameron each finished with 12 kills in the winning effort, and Welsh dished out nine assists and served up a pair of aces. Cameron added 10 digs, while Vautrin and freshman outside hitter Aleksandr Kuzmenko (Chicopee, Mass.) contributed nine digs each.

Castro totaled eight digs for the Blazers who tallied 57 in the match, and added four assisted blocks.

Bard's Billy Williams (Livingston, N.J.) led the Raptors with nine kills, Daniel Gagne (East Longmeadow, Mass.) added 13 digs and Henry Kasiske (Los Angeles, Calif.) distributed 21 assists in the losing effort.

Elms returns to non-league action on Saturday, February 9 at Emmanuel College for tri-match action. The Blazers with square off against the host Saints at 12:00 p.m. and then take on top-ranked Springfield College at 2:00 p.m.