#5 Men’s Volleyball Upset In NECC Championship Match

Chicopee, MA – The Elms College Men's volleyball team came up a little short on Saturday afternoon in the New England Collegiate Conference Championship match, falling to Endicott College 3-1 (25-23, 21-25, 17-25, 22-25).

The first set went the way everyone thought it would with the two teams exchanging points throughout. Neither team was able to get more than a two-point lead until Jeremy Torres (Juncos, P.R.) delivered a kill on an assist from Carlos Mercado (Barranquitas, P.R.), which gave the Blazers a 20-15 lead. Endicott would make a run of their own behind two big kills from Bryn Lipton to level the score 22-22. The Blazers would take advantage of a service error and an attack error and win the set 25-23.

The second set saw more back and forth action with both teams exchanging points. With the score 20-19, Donovan Dey delivered a kill that pushed Endicott out front 23-20 and on to a 25-21 set win.

The third set saw Endicott come out with all of the momentum and jump out to a 20-11 lead behind kills from Dey and Lipton. The Blazers were never able to get back into the set and would lose it 25-17.

The fourth set saw the Gulls jump out to a 15-9 lead. Elms would battle back behind two kills from Daniel Martinez (Bayamon, P.R.) and even the score at 20-20. Dey would then step up and get two big kills to secure the fourth set and the match for the Gulls 25-22.

Bryn Lipton and Jeremy Doski earned all-tournament selections for the Gulls. Donovan Dey was selected tournament MVP.

Luis Martinez (Bayamon, P.R.) and Daniel Martinez (Bayamon, P.R.) both earned all-tournament selections for the Blazers.

Elms will wait for the NCAA selection show on Monday at 10 a.m. for a chance at an at-large bid.