#12 MIT DOWNS EMMANUEL IN SEASON-OPENER, 3-0

BOSTON, Mass. - Junior middle hitter Skyler Kaufman (Needham, Mass.) posted nine kills and a .600 attacking percentage to power #12 MIT past Emmanuel College, 3-0 (25-21, 25-17, 25-13), Saturday afternoon in non-conference men’s volleyball action. The contest was the first for both teams as the Engineers improve to 1-0 while the Saints fall to 0-1.

#12 MIT DOWNS EMMANUEL IN SEASON-OPENER, 3-0
Video Box Score

Team Stats

January 20, 2018

THE BASICS 

Score: M.I.T, 3; Emmanuel College, 0 (25-21, 25-17, 25-13)

Records: M.I.T. Engineers (1-0); Emmanuel College Saints (0-1)

Location: Boston, Mass. – Andy Yosinoff Court

Date: Saturday, January 20th, 2018

THE LEAD: Junior middle hitter Skyler Kaufman (Needham, Mass.) posted nine kills and a .600 attacking percentage to power #12 MIT past Emmanuel College, 3-0 (25-21, 25-17, 25-13), Saturday afternoon in non-conference men's volleyball action. The contest was the first for both teams as the Engineers improve to 1-0 while the Saints fall to 0-1.

HOW IT HAPPENED 

SET 1

  • The Saints raced out to an early 5-3 lead following a kill by sophomore outside hitter Manuel Velez (San Jose, Costa Rica.) before the Engineers responded with five straight point points to take a 7-5 lead.
  • A Kaufman kill put MIT on top 17-12 for their largest lead in the frame but Emmanuel was able to rally and tie the score at 20-20 after a kill from junior middle hitter Alex Silva (Jamaica Plain, Mass.).
  • MIT responded with four straight points to go ahead 24-20 and closed out the frame for a 25-21 win, despite only hitting .121 as a team in the set.

SET 2

  • The Engineers used the first set moment to jump ahead to an 11-6 lead in set two but the Saints kept it close, scoring five straight points to pull within one at 11-10 after an MIT attacking error.
  • The score remained tight up until an 18-16 margin but the Engineers manufactured a quick 4-0 run fueled by a pair of Kaufman kills to go up 22-16 late in the action.
  • MIT closed out the set on a 7-1 run to put away the Saints, 25-17.

SET 3

  • Emmanuel held an early 4-3 lead after a kill from junior outside hitter Erik English (Simi Valley, Calif.) but back to back kills from Nathan Wang (Saratoga, Calif.) and Kaufman put the Engineers on top for good early in the third set.
  • Leading 8-7, the Engineers rattled off four straight points fueled by two consecutive Kaufman aces to take control with a 12-7 lead.
  • Leading 17-13, MIT scored the final eight points of the match to cruise to the 25-13 win in the final set, collecting hitting a match-best .391 in the frame.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS 

  • English led all players with a match-high 13 kills for Emmanuel and posted a double-double with 12 digs.
  • Junior setter Yize Dong (Moraga, Calif.) dished out 24 assists for MIT while EC setter Seamus McDonagh (Long Beach, N.Y.) passed out 23 helpers.
  • Sophomore Thomas Nelson (San Ramon, Calif.) led the defensive effort for MIT with a match-high 19 digs.
  • MIT owned the action at the net, recording seven blocks compared to just two from the host Saints.

UP NEXT

  • Both squads return to action later in the day facing Alvernia University as the Engineers square off against the Wolves at 2:00 PM while the Saints hit the court at 4:00 PM.