Men's Volleyball

MEN'S VOLLEYBALL TEAM SWEEPS MOUNT IDA

The Emmanuel Saints upended the Mount Ida College Mustangs on their home court on Wednesday night. This was Emmanuel's second 3-0 win over the Mustangs this season.

Zach Caron hit .800 for the Saints on Wednesday night

Zach Caron hit .800 for the Saints on Wednesday night

Feb. 24, 2010

Box Score

NEWTON, Mass. - The Emmanuel Saints upended the Mount Ida College Mustangs on their home court on Wednesday night. This was Emmanuel's second 3-0 win over the Mustangs this season. The Saints topped the hosts, 30-17, 30-26 and 31-29, and improved to 14-6 overall and 8-1 in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) play. This was Mount Ida's sixth GNAC loss of the season, as they fell to 5-9 overall and 2-6 in league play.

Mount Ida never led in game one, although they kept the match close, and trailed 6-8 after a kill by freshman Eddie Pinero (Inwood, N.Y.) to pull within a deuce. The visitors slowly crept away from the Mustangs with a cluster of small 3-0 runs to pull ahead 18-10 after a Michael Townsend (Beaverdam, Va.) kill. The teams went back and forth over the next couple of sets with the Saints leading by ten, 23-13. Emmanuel went on to power a quick 5-0 run to go head 27-14 after a Mustang error. The visitors eventually closed out the 30-17 set one win with a kill by Cam Todd (Los Angeles, Calif.).

The Mustangs led 3-1 in the opening of the second set, after a Ross Florexil (Lake Worth, Fla.) service ace. After multiple lead changes, the visitors would go ahead 9-8 on a Zachary Caron (Hope, R.I.) kill. The Saints held a two-point advantage for the next couple plays, up 18-16, after two consecutive points by Mount Ida capped off by a kill from Thomas Belton (Springfield, Mass.) and a solo block by Spencer Hastings (Orlando, Fla.). The hosts eventually tied the score at 20-20 after a Florexil solo block knotting it up for the first time since the 7-7 mark.

Emmanuel went on to power a small 3-0 lead at 24-21 after a Mustang error. The Saints overpowered the hosts down the stretch, capturing the 30-26 victory in game two and went up 2-0 in the match.

Set three was the closest of the night with multiple lead changes and ties featured throughout. Mount Ida took a two-point lead up 13-11 after a Belton kill. The advantage didn't last long with the visitors pulling ahead 18-15 after another Townsend kill. The Saints maintained the lead up 23-19 on a Caron kill.

The Mustangs wouldn't let up, powering a 5-0 run to tie the score at 27-all after an error by Emmanuel. The action went back and forth for the next couple of points with the Saints holding a one-point advantage at 30-29. The Mustangs had trouble controlling a hammered jump-serve for match point that ricocheted out of bounds. The visitors went on to capture the 31-29 game three win and a 3-0 match victory.

The Mustangs were led by Hastings with 12 kills and seven digs, while Belton chipped in nine kills. Senior captain Shane Wilson (Gloucester, MA/Gloucester) added 10 digs with Pinero adding three assists and one solo block.

Emmanuel was paced by Townsend's double-double of 10 kills and 11 digs. Caron hit .800 for the match, finding the floor on 8 of his 10 attacks. Along with Todd, Matt Salvi (Trumbull, Conn.) and Michael Mottola (Quincy, Mass.) notched 7 kills apiece. Jim Sutherland (Concord, Calif.) led the backrow with 13 digs, while setters Sean O'Connor (Hampstead, N.H.), Taylor Lowe (Malibu, Mass.) and Nick Updike (Manhattan Beach, Calif) dished out 14 assists each in the win.

Mount Ida will travel to the Bard College in New York on Friday night for a two-day tournament. Emmanuel will play in a tri-match at MIT, taking on the Engineers and the Elms College Blazers on Saturday afternoon.

- Courtesy of Mount Ida College Sports Information