NO. 1 SPRINGFIELD TOO MUCH FOR EMMANUEL TO HANDLE

BOSTON, Mass. – The Emmanuel College men's volleyball team dropped a 3-0 decision (25-14, 25-17, 25-15) to No. 1 ranked Springfield College Tuesday evening at the Andy Yosinoff Court.  The Pride improve to 22-1 on 22 straight victories while the loss drops Emmanuel to 6-13.

The Pride opened an early 12-5 lead in the first set, but the Saints scored four of the next five points narrowing the gap to 13-9.  The Saints managed to score more five points in the remainder of the set as the Pride powered passed the Saints 25-14, on a .474 hitting percentage.

The Saints did not shy away after going down 1-0 as the two teams battled back and forth to open the second stanza. The two teams were knotted up five times before the Saints took an 11-10 lead, their first of the night.  Emmanuel challenged Springfield for every point throughout the remainder of the frame, but the stanza finished with the Pride on top 25-17.

The Saints gave the Pride all they could handle with only two points separating the teams at 9-7 as the final set opened, but the nation's best proved to be too much. The Pride earned eight of the next 10 points and did not look back closing out the frame 25-15.

Luis Vega (Corozal, Puerto Rico) led all scorers with 10 kills while Ricardo Padilla Ayala (San Juan, Puerto Rico) and Joseth Irizarry Feliciano (Adjuntas, Puerto Rico) recorded seven a piece.  On the defensive side, Eli Irizarry Pares (San Juan, Puerto Rico) led the game with seven digs.

Erik English (Simi Valley, Calif.) led the Saints with six kills while Alex Silva (Jamaica Plain, Mass.) tallied four, defensively Seamus McDonagh (Long Beach, N.Y.) had six digs.

Emmanuel College will return to action on Thursday night when they play host to GNAC rival Rivier University at 7pm.  Springfield College will host Baruch College on Friday evening at 6pm.