Men’s Volleyball Swept in Tri-Match With #2 Vassar and #5 Stevens

Elms 1, Stevens 3

The Ducks started out the match on a hot streak, scoring the first five points highlighted by back-to-back service aces. Leading 11-7, Stevens extended the lead to eight with a 4-0 run capped off by another service ace.

Stevens was able to keep Elms at arms-length the rest of the way, holding at least a four-point lead for the remainder of the set and winning 25-19 thanks to a service ace, to win the set and go up 1-0.

Holding a 7-5 edge early in the second set, the Ducks got back-to-back kills by Byrne as a part of a 4-0 run to extend the lead 11-5. After Elms was able to cut the deficit back to four at 18-14, Stevens rattled off seven consecutive points highlighted by two kills to win the set 25-14.

After trading points back-and-forth for the first half of the third set, Elms went on a 5-0 run to grab an 18-14 edge. Leading 18-16, the Blazers then scored six of the next seven points to make the score 24-17. Stevens was able to stave off three set points but could not get any close as Elms avoided the sweep with a 25-20 win.

The Ducks went on a 5-1 run early in the fourth and final set to grab an early 8-5 edge. Elms was able to claw back into the contest and take a 16-15 lead halfway through the set. Leading 21-20, Stevens scored three straight points to give themselves match point. The Blazers did not go away quietly, however, as they staved off four consecutive match points to tie the set at 24.

Stevens had two more opportunities to put the match away at 25-24 and 26-25 but could not close it out either time as Elms was able to side-out on back-to-back possessions. Tied at 26, the Ducks finally broke through with consecutive points to win 28-26 and grab the match 3-1.

The Blazers were led by 12 kills from Jeremy Torres (Juncos, P.R.), and 31 assists from Carlos Mercado (Barranquitas, P.R.)

Elms1, Vassar 3

In Elms' second match of the day the Blazers jumped out to 4-7 lead. Vassar responded with a 3-2 run to pull within one, but Elms kept holding on. A Duchemin kill cut the lead to 13-14, and then five unanswered Vassar points gave the Brewers an 18-14 lead. The Blazers rallied back within two, but Vassar extended the margin to 24-20 after a kill. Duchemin then fired in the final kill for the win.

The Brewers built up to a 10-3 second set lead, but a 6-0 Elms' run tied the set 11-11 and forced a Vassar timeout. Vassar went on to retake the point and then used a 7-1 span to go up by seven. A 3-0 span at the end gave Vassar the win.

The third set remained close, with the Blazers pulling off the 26-24 victory. Neither side led by more than four, and there were seven ties. After it was tied 23-23, Vassar went up by one after an error, but the Blazers scored the next three.

In the fourth, it seemed as if it would be another close affair. Vassar tied it 12-12 after a kill , and then a service ace put the Brewers up one. After four more ties, Vassar used a 5-0 run to make it 23-18. After some back-and-forth scoring, the home side found the winning kill.

For the Blazers, Jeremy Torres (Juncos, P.R.) had 14 kills, and four digs and Diego Hernandez (San Juan, P.R.) tacked on 13.

The Blazers are back in action on Thursday 2/20 at 7PM when then host Nichols College in their NECC opener.