MEN’S VOLLEYBALL FALLS TO #15 HARVARD IN SEASON OPENER

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - The Emmanuel College Men's Volleyball Team dropped its season-opening contest to Harvard University, 3-0, on Friday night at the Malkin Athletic Center.  The Crimson, ranked 15th nationally in NCAA Division I, took care of the Saints in three sets, 25-16, 25-21, 25-21 to improve to 2-3 on the year.  The loss drops the Saints to 0-1 on the young season.

The Crimson hit .342 as a team with 38 kills in 73 swings, while boasting a combined 17 blocks on the night.  Branden Clemens led the Harvard attack with nine kills, including eight in the final two sets. The junior from Carmel, Indiana also recorded six digs and two service aces in the match.  Casey White tallied eight kills and seven digs, while Alec Schlossman contributed seven kills of his own. Freshman Marko Kostich added 33 assists in his third start of the year.  Seven different Crimson student-athletes recorded a block in the match, including four from Caleb Zimmick, and held the Saints to a -.040 hitting percentage on the night.

Emmanuel got four kills apiece from senior captains Ashanti Jackson (Sacramento, Calif.) and Zach Whitermore (Whitehall, Pa.).  Senior libero Cody Diehl (Derry, N.H.) led the Saints' backrow with five digs, while senior setter Sean Baxley (Saint James, N.Y.) dished out 20 assists in the effort for EC.

The Saints will play in their home opener this Monday night, February 2nd, hosting another tough opponent in No. 3 Springfield College.  This match was rescheduled from last Tuesday evening, due to the snow storm.  Start time is slated for 8:00 PM on Monday night.

- Courtesy of Harvard University Athletic Communications