Men's Volleyball Takes a Set From Emmanuel on Senior Night

CHICOPEE, Mass. - The Elms College Men's Volleyball team hosted Emmanuel College for a conference match Thursday evening at Picknelly Arena for their annual Senior Night.

BASICS
Score: Elms College 1 (25, 15, 20, 18) | Emmanuel College 3 (23, 25, 25, 25)
Records: Blazers 6-21, 3-9 (GNAC) | Saints 17-10, 9-3 (GNAC)

PRIOR TO THE MATCH

The Elms College Men's Volleyball team honored their senior Joshua Fernandez Garcia (Canovanas, P.R.), and his loved ones prior to the start of the conference matchup.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The opening set would see Emmanuel score the first point, but with the assistance of three kills by sophomore Nick Uschmann (Agawam, Mass.) and back-to-back services from sophomore Sam Moreno (El Paso, Texas.), Elms would take the early 6-2 lead. The Saints would score three points, but the Blazers offense would continue to add to their lead after kills from Fernandez Garcia, sophomore John Bellafronte (Enfield, Conn.), and first year Yazhua Marin Valentin (Springfield, Mass.), along with a block first Hunter Ladouceur (Wilbraham, Mass.) and Bellafronte. The two conference foes would battle for the lead. With the help of kills by junior Rafa Artero (Madrid, Spain), Uschmann, Fernandez Garcia, Bellafronte, and Marin Valentin, along with a service ace from Uschmann, Elms would take the first set 25-23.

The second set would begin Emmanuel again earning the first point, but the Blazers would take a quick lead after two kills from Uschmann, a service by Moreno, and a block by Bellafronte and Uschmann. The two opponents would continue to battle, with Elms seeing kills by Ladouceur, Bellafronte, Marin Valentin, and Uschmann, and blocks from Artero and Ladouceur, but Emmanuel would take the set 25-15.

The third set would have the Blazers with the early advantage, following two kills by Marin Valentin and three-straight service aces from Bellafronte. The Saints would take the lead, but Elms would continue to fight back, with three kills by Uschmann, a kill from Marin Valentin, and three-straight kills by Bellafronte. But Emmanuel would win the set 25-20.

The fourth and final set would begin with the Blazers taking an early 5-2 lead, following a combined four kills from Uschmann, Marin Valentin, and Fernandez Garcia. The two sides would continue to battle, with Elms capitalizing on errors by the Saints, Uschmann recording three kills and a service ace, along with Lacoudeur, Marin Valentin, and Artero each adding a kill. As the set continued Emmanuel, the Blazers would continue to battle Bellafronte and Marin Valentin would each add kills, but the Saints would take the set 25-18, and win the match 3-1.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Artero: two kills, two digs, and a block assist.

• Bellafronte: 10 kills, three service aces, two block assists, and three digs.

• Fernandez Garcia: three kills, five digs, and an assist.

• Ladouceur: 37 assists, three kills, two block assists, and two digs.

• Marin Valentin: nine kills and three digs.

• Moreno: three service aces, an assist, and three digs.

• Sánchez: six digs and three assists.

• Uschmann: 17 kills, two service aces, 1 ½ blocks, and six digs.

UP NEXT: The Elms Men's Volleyball team will conclude the 2025 season on Saturday, April 5th at Lasell University in a conference tri-match against the Lasers and Wentworth Institute of Technology at 11 am & 1 pm.

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