Nationally Ranked Lasell Beats Men's Volleyball at Home

CHICOPEE, Mass. - The Elms College Men's Volleyball team hosted No. 18 Lasell University in a conference match Tuesday evening at Picknelly Arena.

BASICS
Score: Elms College 0 (18, 21, 22) | No. 18 Lasell University 3 (25, 25, 25)
Records: Blazers 3-9, 0-2 (GNAC) | Lasers 13-4, 4-1 (GNAC)

HOW IT HAPPENED

The opening set would start off with Lasell taking control with a 7-2 lead, with Elms scoring off an attack error by their conference foe and a kill by sophomore Nick Uschmann (Agawam, Mass.). After capitalizing on a service error by the Lasers, junior David Tompkins (Groton, Conn.) and Uschmann would both record service aces, but Lasell would continue to add to their lead, scoring an additional eight points. After a couple of substitutes by both teams, the Blazers would see kills by sophomores Al Sánchez (Guayama, P.R.), John Bellafronte (Enfield, Conn.), and first year Hunter Ladouceur (Wilbraham, Mass.) to cut the deficit down to five-points. As the final moments of the first set neared, Elms would see offensive efforts by first year Yazhua Marin Valentin (Springfield, Mass.) with a kill, a block from junior Rafa Artero (Madrid, Spain) and Ladouceur, and multiple errors by Lasell, but the Lasers would win the set 25-18.

The second set would begin with a similar narrative as the previous, with Lasell scoring six points, but Artero and Bellafronte recording a block, followed by a kill by Uschmann. The intrastate opponents would continue to trade points, with kills by Marin Valentin, Bellafronte, and Uschmann, along with a service ace by Ladouceur and errors by the Lasers, to force a late rally, but Lasell would take the second set 25-21.

The third and final set would start with a five-point lead by the Lasers, but the Blazers would rally to tie the set 7-7 with the assistance of kills by Uschmann, Marin Valentin, and Sánchez. The two conference foes would continue the battle, with Bellafronte adding a kill and Sánchez making a service ace, but Lasell would continue to build their lead. As the match neared the end, Elms would try their best to rally back, with a kill from Uschmann, but the Lasers would win the set 25-22, and would secure the 3-0 sweep.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Uschmann would make seven kills, four digs, and a service ace.

• Ladouceur made 12 assists, two kills, two digs, two block assists, and a service ace.

• Artero generated two block assists and a dig.

• Sánchez added four digs, two kills, a service ace, and an assist.

• Sophomore Sam Moreno (El Paso, Texas) made four digs.

• Marin Valentin would create three kills and an assist.

• Senior Joshua Fernandez Garcia (Canovanas, P.R.) would make three digs.

• Bellafronte generated six digs, three kills, an assist, and a block assist.

• Tompkins added a service ace.

UP NEXT: The Elms Men's Volleyball team will travel to nearby No. 6 Springfield College on Wednesday, February 26th at 7 pm.

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