MEN'S VOLLEYBALL ROLLS TO 3-0 WIN OVER ANNA MARIA

BOSTON, Mass. - The Emmanuel College Men's Volleyball Team took care of Anna Maria College in three sets to improve to 14-9 on the season and 9-3 in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) play.  With set scores of 25-10, 25-11 and 25-13, the Saints swept the visiting AMCATs, who dropped to 1-14 overall and 0-10 in the league.  The match was the opener in a Saturday afternoon GNAC tri-match played in Emmanuel's Jean Yawkey Center. 

Emmanuel charged out to a 19-7 lead over the AMCATs in the opening set, backed by strong serving from Cameron Palmer (Damascus, Md.) and hitting by Michael Felix (Mission Hills, Calif.).  Sophomore outside hitter Drew Jordan (Braintree, Mass.) served off four-consecutive points for the Saints to give Emmanuel set-point at 24-9.  A Felix kill down the middle ended it for EC, with the Saints taking a 25-10 win in the opener.

Set two saw the Saints take a 16-7 lead midway through, following a kill from the left side by Jordan.  Trailing 20-8, the AMCATs signaled for a timeout.  A kill from rookie outside hitter Dylan Copeland (Haverhill, Mass.) pushed Anna Maria into double-figures at 23-10, but an AMCATs service error forced set-point for the Saints.  Junior hitter Brett Pettis (Haverhill, Mass.) found the floor for a 25-11 set two win and EC took a 2-0 lead in the match.

Anna Maria's Peter Griffenkranz (Deer Park, N.Y.) and Jonathan Gallardo (Marlborough, Mass.) combined for a solid assisted block to cut the AMCATs' deficit to 20-13 in the third set, but strong serving by Jordan helped Emmanuel to a 4-0 run and match point at 24-13.  Felix ended it again on a kill from the middle at 25-13 and the Saints took the 3-0 sweep.

Emmanuel hit .424 as a team with 36 kills in 66 total attacks.  The Saints were led by Austin Cockerill's (Darien, Conn.) 10 kills and 6 digs.  Pettis finished with a .615 hitting percentage on the day with 8 kills in 13 swings without an error, to go along with his match-high 7 digs.  Felix chipped in with 7 kills in 10 attacks, while Jorge Rojas (San Juan, Puerto Rico) dished out 29 assists for the Saints in the win.

Anna Maria was led by Griffenkranz's 6 kills, 3 digs and 2 assisted blocks.  Copeland added 5 digs and 3 kills, while freshman setter Michael Gaudelli (Hicksville, N.Y.) handed out 7 assists in the effort for the AMCATs.

The Saints and the AMCATS will face GNAC foe Emerson College in the later portion of the GNAC tri-macth.