SAINTS SWEEP MUSTANGS, 3-0

BOSTON, Mass. – The Emmanuel College Men's Volleyball Team cruised to a 3-0 sweep of Mount Ida College on Tuesday night in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) action played in Emmanuel's Jean Yawkey Center.  The win boosted the Saints to 9-11 on the season and 4-1 in league play.  Mount Ida extended their slide to 11 matches, dropping to 4-16 overall and 0-7 in the GNAC with the conference loss.  The all-time series between these to programs dates back to 2003 and stands at 18-1, in favor of the Saints.

Emmanuel jumped out to a 6-2 lead in the opening set, before taking a ten-point set one win at 25-15.  The Saints then surged out in front, 13-3, to start game two.  With the hosts then on top, 19-5, the Mustangs went on a 7-1 run to bring the spread to 20-12, before Emmanuel pulled out a 25-14 set two win.  Set three saw the Saints boast a 25-16 win, to seal the 3-0 match sweep.

Sophmore middle hitter Wyatt Cooper (Ridgefield, Conn.) led the way for Emmanuel, hitting at a clip of .583 with 8 kills in 11 swings, while sending back 3 blocks.  Sophomore opposite Ryan Kessler (Santa Clarita, Calif.) came off the bench to tally 5 kills in 8 attacks. Nick Updike, Austin Cockerill (Darien, Conn.) and Barrett Wingard (Dallastown, Pa.) notched 4 kills apiece for the Saints.  Sophomore outside hitter Zach Whitermore (Whitehall, Pa.) led the Emmanuel defense with 8 digs, while Updike dished out 25 assists, powered in a match-high 5 service aces, and assisted on 3 blocks.

The Mustangs were led by senior outside hitter Spencer Hastings (Orlando, Fla.), who recorded 5 kills and 5 digs.  Brady Rodriguez (Longwood, Fla.) dished out 12 helpers and Jimmy Wessel (DeKalb, Ill.) led the backrow with 7 digs.

The Saints will travel across the river to Cambridge on Thursday night, when they take on the Engineers of MIT in a 7:00 PM start.  Mount Ida will host Wentworth and Albertus Magnus in a GNAC tri-match on Saturday, beginning at 10:00 AM