Men's Volleyball Takes a Set from SUNY Poly in Home Return

CHICOPEE, Mass. - The Elms College Men's Volleyball team hosted SUNY Polytechnic Institute in a non-conference match on Sunday afternoon.

BASICS
Score: Elms College 1 (17, 25, 26, 21) | State University of New York Polytechnic Institute 3 (25, 19, 28, 25)
Records: Blazers 3-13, 0-2 (GNAC) | Wildcats 12-9, 0-0 (NEVC)

HOW IT HAPPENED

The opening set would begin with SUNY Poly taking an early 3-0 lead, but Elms would quickly take the lead for themselves after kills by sophomore Nick Uschmann (Agawam, Mass.) and first year Yazhua Marin Valentin (Springfield, Mass.), along with a service ace from sophomore Al Sánchez (Guayama, P.R.). The two non-conference opponents would then battle for the lead, which would see first year Hunter Ladouceur (Wilbraham, Mass.) record his first kill of the afternoon and a block by Uschmann, sophomore James Davis (Leetsdale, Penn.), and junior Rafa Artero (Madrid, Spain). The Wildcats would then pull away with the lead, but the Blazers would continue their efforts to close the differential with kills by Marin Valentin, Artero, and Sánchez. SUNY Poly would take the first set 25-17.

The second set would begin with Elms with the offensive advantage after kills from Uschmann and Sánchez, along with a block by Uschmann and Artero, to earn a 7-4 lead. The Wildcats would quickly respond by scoring seven of the next 11 points scored, with Marin Valentin recording a kill for the Blazers, to tie the set 11-11. As the set progressed, Elms would continue their mission to steal a set, after Ladouceur and Artero each recorded a service ace, Sánchez, Uschmann, sophomore Sam Moreno (El Paso, Texas), and Marin Valentin made a combined seven kills, and two blocks from Uschmann and Artero, to help the Blazers would win the set 25-19.

The third set would once again begin with the SUNY Poly earning the early lead, but Elms would continue to fight back with kills by Uschmann, Davis, Marin Valentin, Sánchez, and Artero, along with blocks by Uschmann, Artero, Davis, and Ladouceur. As the set seemed to be near, the Blazers would force a 25-25, tie after Artero added a kill and a service ace, followed by a kill by Uschmann, but the Wildcats would take the third set 28-26.

The fourth and final set would once again be controlled by SUNY Poly early, but Uschmann and Ladouceur would record two kills quickly to give Elms a foundation to build upon. As the set continued, Artero and Ladoucuer would record back-to-back kills, followed by a combined five kills by Uschmann, Ladoucuer, Davis, and Marin Valentin, but the Wildcats would continue to set themselves apart from the home team. As the set began to near its end, Sánchez and Uschmann would both record two final kills, but SUNY Poly would win the set 25-21, and defeat the Blazers 3-1.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Uschmann would make 17 kills, 13 digs, four block assists, and an assist.

• Ladouceur made 39 assists, six digs, four kills, a service ace, and a block assist.

• Sánchez added 11 digs, seven kills, and a service ace.

• Artero generated six blocks, four kills, two service aces, and a dig.

• Senior Joshua Fernandez Garcia (Canovanas, P.R.) would make eight digs and two assists.

• Marin Valentin would create nine kills, an assist, and a dig.

• Moreno made 13 digs, an assist, and a kill.

• Davis would make four kills, two blocks, and a dig.

UP NEXT: The Elms Men's Volleyball team will return to action on Saturday, March 15th in a conference tri-match at Wentworth Institute of Technology against Dean College and the Leopards at 1 & 3 pm.

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