MEN’S VOLLEYBALL TOPS FANSHAWE, 3-2, IN EXHIBITION OPENER

BOSTON, Mass.  - The Emmanuel College Men's Volleyball Team hosted Fanshawe College in an exhibition match on Sunday morning in the Jean Yawkey Center to kick off the 2015 season.  The Saints avenged a 3-0 sweep from last year, downing the Falcons, 3-2 (29-27, 25-17, 17-25, 16-25, 15-13). Fanshawe traveled down from Canada and took on the Saints as part of a four-match tour, which included matches against MIT, Baruch and Rivier.

In a back and forth opening set, the Saints came out on top with a 29-27 score behind four kills from senior outside hitter Zach Whitermore (Whitehall, Pa.). EC struggled with its service game, serving up seven errors in the frame but they were able to hold the Falcons to just a .167 hitting percentage to take a 1-0 lead in the match.

Emmanuel used the momentum to cruise to a 25-17 win in the second set as Whitermore collected five more kills and junior Drew Jordan (Braintree, Mass.) tallied two blocks to lead the net game for the hosts. Fanshawe sophomore middle hitter Mike Birkett (Toronto, ON) paced the Falcons with a team-best three kills in the set as Fanshawe was only able to muster up a .038 hitting percentage.

The Falcons regrouped and dominated the third and fourth sets to send the match into a decisive fifth set. Fanshawe hit .391 in the third set, followed by a .333 percentage in the fourth set while the Saints combined to make 13 hitting errors in the two frames.

In the final set, Fanshawe led 8-6 at the midway point following a kill by outside hitter Demetri Kantzos (London, ON) and would lead until Emmanuel tied the score at 12-12 after a kill by junior middle hitter Julian Hess (Venice, Calif.). After trading points, Emmanuel sealed the win with a Whitermore kill and a solo block by senior outside hitter Ashanti Jackson (Sacramento, Calif.) to produce the 15-13 win and take the match, 3-2.

Whitermore led the way with a game-high 14 kills while Jackson chipped in with 12. Senior setter Sean Baxley (Saint James, N.Y.) dished out 46 helpers in the win, while also serving up a team-high three aces.

Sophomore right side Nate Van Camp (Port Perry, ON) paced the Falcons with 11 kills while Birkett added 10. Kantzos served up a match-high six aces while freshman libero David Gundrum (Port Elgin, ON) collected a match-high 11 digs.

Emmanuel opens regular season play on Tuesday, January 27 when they host No. 3 and three-time defending national champion, Springfield College at 8:00 PM. The Falcons return to Canada going 2-2 on the US Tour and return to action on Thursday, January 22 when they play Niagara on the road at 8:00 PM.