GISBRECHT EARNS 100TH COACHING VICTORY AS ELMS DOWNS MEN'S VOLLEYBALL, 3-0

CHICOPEE, Mass. – Elms College head men's volleyball coach Sheila Gisbrecht registered her 100^th career win at the helm of the men's volleyball program as the Blazers swept visiting Emmanuel College, 3-0 (25-21, 25-14, 25-18), in a non-conference match at Picknelly Arena Tuesday night. With the win, the Blazers improve to 4-3 on the season, while Saints drop to 0-4 overall.

In the first set, the sides traded points in the early onset with a kill from Elms junior Daniel Bondarovsky (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) handing the Blazers an 8-7 lead. Emmanuel rattled off a 5-1 run to pull ahead 13-9, but the Blazers responded with kills from Bondarovsky and junior Gabriel Reis Levy (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) to even the score at 15-15. A kill from Elms sophomore John Dunphy (Farmington, Conn) put the Blazers on top, 17-16, sparking a 5-0 run by Elms, featuring two kills from freshman David Hernandez (Springfield, Mass.), to build a 21-16 advantage. Errors cut into the Blazers lead, but a kill from senior Austin DeCosmo (Southwick, Mass.) and an ace from Dunphy locked up the 25-21 win.

The Blazers opened the second set on a 6-0 run paced by kills from Reis Levy and Bondarovsky. Elms maintained their advantage behind a pair of kills from Bondarovsky and errors by Emmanuel to hold a 13-5 lead. Reis Levy powered the Blazers down the stretch with four kills to send Elms to the 25-14 win.

Play was back-and-forth early in the third set, but back-to-back kills from Emmanuel freshmen John Carroll (Massapequa, N.Y.) and Seamus McDonagh (Long Beach, N.Y.) put the Saints up 7-6. The Blazers responded with an 8-4 run, capped with a kill by Bondarovsky to put Elms ahead 14-10. Elms continued to rally offensively with a 5-1 run to develop a 19-11 advantage. The Saints whittled the lead down to 23-18 in the final points, but Elms closed out the sweep with kills from Dunphy and Bondarovsky to collect the 25-18 win.

The Blazers had 10 players record kills in the win, led by a match-high nine kills and a match-high 13 digs from Bondarovsky. Reis Levy notched eight kills with seven digs and two blocks, while Dunphy dished out 16 assists with six digs and a match-high four service aces. Hernandez added four kills with six digs, and freshman Audrye Alejandro (Las Piedras, P.R.) tallied seven digs.

The Saints were paced by seven kills and eight digs from sophomore Erik English (Simi Valley, Calif.), followed by four kills from sophomore Alex Silva (Jamaica Plain, Mass.). McDonagh totaled 17 assists with three kills, while sophomore Elijah Parks (Long Beach, N.Y.) snared a team-high nine digs in the loss.

The Blazers will look to remain in the win column during a non-conference road trip to Sage Thursday night for a 7:00 p.m. match. Emmanuel travels to Dean Thursday for a 7:00 p.m. match.

*Release courtesy of Elms College Athletic Communications