WILDCATS SPRING PAST SAINTS, 3-0

THE BASICS 

Score: Johnson & Wales, 3; Emmanuel College, 0 (25-22, 25-23, 25-23)

Records: Johnson & Wales Wildcats (16-8, 5-3 GNAC); Emmanuel College Saints (17-10, 6-3 GNAC)

Location: Boston, Mass. – Andy Yosinoff Court

Date: Thursday, March 28^th, 2019

THE LEAD: The Emmanuel College Men's Volleyball team dropped three-straight sets on Thursday, March 28^th against Great Northeast Athletic Conference foe Johnson and Wales, snapping their seven match winning streak on the Andy Yosinoff Court.

HOW IT HAPPENED 

SET 1

• In back and forth action between the Saints and the Wildcats, 6-6, each team capitalized on strong attacks before the Saints went ahead on a service ace by senior Erick English (Simi Valley, Calif.) and a kill by Mike Kokoros (Braintree, Mass.).
• The Saints gained a three point lead on three consecutive kills in the middle of the match, 10-13, but the Wildcats responded with a strong go-ahead run fueled by senior Jason Rhee (Aurora, Colo.), which put them on top 15-13.
• The Saints never allowed the Wildcats to gain more than a four point lead, but the Wildcats continued to show their strong offensive power with kills from Cameron Ponce (San Jose, Calif) and Ben Sandt (East Northport, N.Y.) to close the set out 25-23.

SET 2

• Each team was able to go point for point through five until the Saints broke away on two attack errors and gained the first two point lead by either squad.
• The Wildcats tied the Saints, 12-12, on a service ace by Donovan Kelley (Encinitas, Calif.) and the two teams continued the back and forth action for two more points until JWU went ahead on a service error and a kill by junior Josh Pitzer (North Kingstown, R.I.)
• The Wildcats kept the lead for the remainder of the set and closed it out 25-23.

SET 3

• The point for point trend continued in the beginning of the third set, 9-9, until the Wildcats went ahead on an attack error and kill by Josh Pitzer.
• Pitzer and Sandt continued the offensive attack for the Wildcats to help create a four point spread through the middle of the set.
• Despite a late two-point rally from the Saints, 24-23, the Wildcats claimed their sweep and closed out the final set 25-23.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS 

• English recorded a game-high 16 kills for the Saints, with a hitting percentage of .231, along with three digs and three assisted block.
• Pincince was the leader for the Wildcats with 12 kills and a hitting percentage of .385, along with three digs and three assisted blocks.
•  The Saints struggled serving on the evening with 13 service errors while the Wildcats only missed four serves.

UP NEXT

• Emmanuel is back on the road on Saturday, March 30^th for a GNAC tri-match at Emerson College against the Lyons and the Wentworth Leopards.
• Johnson and Wales will be at Regis College on Saturday, March 30^th to compete in a GNAC tri-match against the Pride and Rivier.