Men's Volleyball Splits on Senior Day to Wrap Up 2024 Season

CHICOPEE, MA - The Elms College Men's Volleyball team hosted Dean and Emerson Colleges in a conference tri-match for their Senior Day on Saturday at Picknelly Arena.

BASICS
Match 1
Score: Elms College 3 (25, 25, 25) | Dean College 0 (10, 17, 15)
Records: Blazers 8-20, 3-10 (GNAC) | Bulldogs 4-17, 0-13 (GNAC)

Match 2
Score: Elms College 1 (24, 23, 25, 23) | Emerson College 3 (26, 25, 20, 25)
Records: Blazers 8-21, 3-11 (GNAC) | Lions 6-16, 4-10 (GNAC)

PRIOR TO THE ACTION
Prior to the tri-match, the Elms Men's Volleyball team honored their senior class, Santino Giordano (Agwam, MA), for their annual senior day.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Match 1
Dean and Elms would trade points early, including a kill by Giordano to tie the score at 2-2. But kills by first-year John Bellafronte (Enfield, CT), Giordano, and graduate student Pedro De Jesus (East Hartford, CT) would give the lead to the Blazers. The Elms offense would continue their success with more kills by sophomore Rafa Artero (Madrid, Spain), first-year Nick Uschmann (Agawam, MA), Bellafronte and De Jesus to extend their lead 15-6. The Bulldogs would try to come back in the opening set, but the Blazers would win the set 25-10.

The second set would start off with an early lead for Dean, but Elms would battle back with multiple kills by Uschmann, Artero, and Giordano to bring the score to 13-6. Elms would continue to carry their momentum and capitalize on multiple errors by the Bulldogs. With late kills by De Jesus and graduate student Collin Liedke (Newington, CT) would help the Blazers take the second set 25-17.

The third and final set would begin with an early block by Artero, followed by a service ace by Liedke, and back-to-back kills by De Jesus and Uschmann to help Elms take the lead at 4-0. The Blazers would continue to show offensive prowess after a service ace by De Jesus and multiple kills by De Jesus, Giordano, Bellafronte, and Leidke to help secure the sweep for Elms 25-15.

Match 2
The second match would begin with an early Emerson lead. Elms would show life shortly after with kills by first-year Joey Crain (Southwick, MA), De Jesus, and Uschmann and a block by Uschmann and Bellafronte to gain the lead 8-6. Artero, Bellafronte, and Uschmann would make a handful of kills and a service ace by Artero to extend the Blazer lead, but the Lions would come back to win the set, 24-26.

The second set would begin with a different narrative. Elms would begin with an early 8-2 lead with a combined six kills by De Jesus, Uschmann, and Artero, four by Uschmann. Emerson would add two points to cut the Blazers lead, but Crain would make a kill to bring their lead to 9-4. The two sides would each find offensive spurts and capitalize on errors made by their opponent, but the Lions would take the second set 23-25.

The third set would begin with another 5-2 lead in the favor of Elms. Emerson would bring the score to within a point, but back-to-back kills by Crain and De Jesus would stop the Lions from gaining the lead. The Blazers would continue to extend their lead with the help of six kills, back-to-back blocks by Uschmann-Artero and Artero-De Jesus and a service ace by Liedke and to secure the third set 25-20.

Emerson would begin with an early 0-2 lead, but Elms capitalized on errors and kills by De Jesus and Uschmann to give the Blazers a 5-3 lead. The Lions would take the lead shortly later, but Elms would come back to the match and fight Emerson to very end, unfortunately ending in the favor of the Lions 23-25.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• De Jesus: 31 kills, six digs, a service ace, and an assist.

• Liedke: 72 assists, 46 digs, two block assists, and four kills.

• Uschmann: 35 kills and six block assists.

• Bellafronte: 11 kills, eight digs, and 2.5 blocks.

• Giordano: eight kills and 11 digs.

UP NEXT: The Blazers concluded the 2024 season and will look onward to the 2025 season.

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