NYU VOLLEYBALL COMES FROM BEHIND TO TOP SAINTS, 3-2

BOSTON, Mass. – The New York University Men's Volleyball team erased a 2-1 deficit to come from behind and top Emmanuel College, 3-2 (26-24, 21-25, 26-28, 25-14, 15-13), Sunday afternoon in non-conference action in the Jean Yawkey Center. With the win, the Violets who are ranked No. 9 in the latest AVCA National Coaches' Poll, improve to 6-3 overall on the year while the loss drops the Saints to 2-4.

In the decisive fifth set, the Saints jumped out to an early 6-4 lead following a kill from junior outside hitter Barrett Wingard (York, Pa.) but New York University gained control of the action to take an 8-7 lead at the midway point after sophomore middle Sean Leahy (Lac La Belle, Wis.) notched a kill. Emmanuel evened the score at 8-8 with a kill from senior opposite Austin Cockerill (Darien, Conn.) but the Violets took the lead for good on the next play as from junior outside hitter Nick Benson (Litchfield Park, Ariz.) found the floor to make it 9-8. Another Benson kill made it 13-9 before Emmanuel tried to mount a comeback of its own, scoring the next three points to cut the deficit to 13-12. A timeout by the Violets halted the run and NYU was able to score on a kill by sophomore Chase Klein (Pacific Palisades, Calif.) to make it match point at 14-12. Wingard extended the match with his 10^th kill of the match but Leahy ended things with a kill in the middle to give the visitors a 15-13 win, taking the match 3-2.

NYU never trailed in the opening set, leading by as many as six points late in the set at 22-16 before Emmanuel rallied to tie the score at 24-24 following an ace from senior outside hitter Ashanti Jackson (Sacramento, Calif.). The Violets were able to regroup with a kill from junior outside hitter Colin LaPorte (Manhattan Beach, Calif.) and take the set 26-24 after an EC hitting error. The Saints made eight hitting errors as well as six service errors in the set.

Emmanuel responded in the second set by jumping out to an early 7-3 lead following a kill by senior outside hitter Zach Whitermore (Whitehall, Pa.). A kill by LaPorte pulled NYU within a point at 8-7 but from that point on it was all Emmanuel as the Saints cruised to a 25-21 win.

In the most exciting set of the match, the Saints built up a six point lead at 19-13 following back-to-back kills by Wingard before the Violets rallied to get back in the action. Back-to-back kills by Benson forced the Saints to take a timeout leading 22-20. Moments later, a kill by freshman outside hitter Andrew Zhu (Saratoga, Calif.) evened the score at 26-all but EC was able to escape with the 28-26 win after NYU committed a pair of attacking errors to end the frame, 28-26.

The fourth set saw the Violets dominate play, jumping out to a 9-3 lead and never looking back. NYU hit a combined .423 in the frame and tallied 4.5 total blocks, holding Emmanuel to a dismal -.077 hitting percentage in the 25-14 rout.

Jackson led all hitters with 20 kills while also recording nine digs. Wingard chipped in with 10 kills and a team-best .500 attacking percentage. Senior libero Cody Diehl (Derry, N.H.) posted a season-high 11 digs while senior setter Sean Baxley (Saint James, N.Y.) dished out 48 assists.

LaPorte finished with a team-high 17 kills while Klein added 14 kills. Benson was also in double-digits with 10 kills and a .300 hitting percentage. Freshman libero Benjamin Oxnard (Yorba Linda, Calif.) posted a game-high 14 digs in the win while sophomore setter Derrick Chiu (Cupertino, Calif.) ran the offensive show dishing out 47 helpers.

The Saints return to action on Wednesday, February 25 when they head to New Haven, Conn. for a Great Northeast Athletic Conference match against Albertus Magnus College at 7:00 PM. The Violets return to the court on Tuesday when they host Baruch College at 7:00 PM.