SAINTS SWEPT DURING THE STORM, 3-0

THE BASICS 

Score: Wentworth Institute of Technology, 3; Emmanuel College, 0 (25-23, 25-18, 25-17)

Records: Wentworth Institute of Technology Leopards (6-2, 3-0 GNAC); Emmanuel College Saints (4-5, 0-2 GNAC)

Location: Boston, Mass. – Andy Yosinoff Court

Date: Tuesday, February 12^th, 2019

THE LEAD: The Emmanuel College Men's Volleyball team competed in a match, despite a mid-February snow storm, losing a straight three sets to Fenway foe Wentworth Institute of Technology in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference matchup on Tuesday, February 12^th on the Andy Yosinoff Court.

HOW IT HAPPENED 

SET 1

• Each team was able to go point for point in the beginning of the first set through 7-7 before the Saints were able to take the first three-point lead, 10-7, off of three attacking errors by the Leopards.
• EC was able to hold on the three-point lead through the middle of the match, 15-12, as junior John Carroll (Massapequa, N.Y.) and Justyn Schueler (Trumbull, Conn.) each collected kills after long rallies for the Saints, but the Leopards capitalized on ball handling errors by the Saints and a kill by freshman Drew Potter (Towson, Md.) to take the lead 19-18.
• The Leopards were able to hold on to the lead with late set kills by Ryan Engel (Floral Park, N.Y.) and Ryan Murray (Westfield, Mass.) to close out the first, 25-23.

SET 2

• WIT controlled the beginning of the second set with a service ace by Potter and kill by Augusto Rodrigues-Gu (San Juan, P.R.), 6-3, before Emmanuel was able to close the gap to one thanks to a service ace by setter Seamus McDonagh (Long Beach, N.Y.), 10-9.
• The Saints continued to push through the middle of the frame and traded the lead back and forth with the Leopards before WIT was able to take a 2-point lead off of attacking errors by the Saints, 17-15.
• The Leopards closed out the second set with dominant offensive play by Sean Spencer (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.) and strong serving by Ryan Love (Gaithersburg, Md.), 25-18.

SET 3

• Wentworth started off the third frame strong, taking a 9-4 lead quickly off of continued powerful kills by Engel and a more dominant defensive showing with two blocks by Spencer and Engel.
• The Leopards continued to show pressure despite strong offensive play by Erik English (Simi Valley, Calif.) and was able to push an eight point lead with kills and an ace by Engel and a kill by Potter, 16-8.
• The three set sweep was completed by the Leopards, despite late game blocks by Carroll, English and McDonagh, 25-17.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS 

• Love recorded a game-high 10 kills for the Leopards, with a hitting percentage of .188, along with four digs and one assisted block while teammate Engel was one kill behind with nine.
• English paved the way for the Saints with nine kills, two assisted blocks and five digs.
• The Leopards were able to finish the evening with a team kill percentage of .212 while the Saints were only able to achieve a .084.

UP NEXT

• Emmanuel will look to move back into the win column on Friday, February 15^th at Johnson & Wales University against Dean College and Nazareth College beginning at 4PM.
• WIT has over a week to prepare for Massachusetts Institute of Technology on Wednesday, February 20^th at 7PM.