Men's Volleyball

EMMANUEL DROPS #5 CARTHAGE EN ROUTE TO 6-0 WEEK

The Emmanuel Men's Volleyball Team wrapped up an unprecedented week, which included wins over three top-ten teams, setting a new program-record for wins in a season, and an undefeated run at the MIT Invitational Tournament.

Curtis Abram notched his 1,000th career kill in a 3-1 win over Carthage

Curtis Abram notched his 1,000th career kill in a 3-1 win over Carthage

March 7, 2010

Box Score

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – The Emmanuel Men’s Volleyball Team wrapped up an unprecedented week, which included wins over three top-ten teams, setting a new program-record for wins in a season, and an undefeated run at the MIT Invitational Tournament. After knocking off #6 Rivier College on Tuesday and #10 Milwaukee School of Engineering on Thursday, the Saints (21-7) won four matches at the MIT Invitational, including a 3-1 win over #5 Carthage College. Emmanuel’s wins over the weekend set a new program-record for wins in a season, as the Saints now own their first-ever 20-win season.

Two Emmanuel individual milestones were also eclipsed at the MIT Tournament.  Senior setter Taylor Lowe (Malibu, Calif.), who is the program’s all-time leader in assists, dished out his 3,000th career assist.  He entered Saturday’s opening tournament game just 12 assists shy of 3,000 and he easily surpassed the mark in the Saints’ 3-0 win over New Haven.

 

On Sunday morning, junior outside hitter Curtis Abram (San Luis Obispo, Calif.) recorded his 1,000th career kill.  Abram reached the highly coveted milestone, when he slammed down 25 kills in the Saints’ 3-1 win over Carthage College.  Abram is now one of just four past and present Emmanuel players to total more than 1,000 kills.

 

Despite going undefeated at the tournament, the Saints finished in second place behind Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE).  MIT used tie-breaking procedures to determine the champion of the Sixth Annual MIT Invitational.  MSOE edged out the defending champion Saints for the crown on Sunday. Both squads posted unblemished marks throughout the weekend, but using total point differential to resolve the deadlock, the Raiders notched 24 more points to collect the title in their tournament debut.

 

Abram led the Saints offense all weekend, as he averaged 5.08 kills per set and his .452 in his four matches played.  Junior outside hitter Tyson Rietz (Granite Bay, Calif.) hit .464 and averaged 3.50 kills per set, while senior co-captain Michael Townsend (Beaverdam, Va.) served off 9 aces, averaging 0.75 aces and 3.33 digs per set for the tournament.  Lowe and Nick Updike (Manhattan Beach, Calif.) combined to dish out 147 assists in the four wins.

 

Abram, who was last week’s Great Northeast Athletic Conference Player of the Week, was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player. Rietz received All-Tournament Team honors for Emmanuel.

 

Final Standings

1. Milwaukee School of Engineering (4-0)*

2. Emmanuel College (4-0)*

3. MIT (3-1)

4. Carthage College (2-2) #

5. Lasell College (2-2) #

6. University of New Haven (1-3)

7. Bard College (0-4) ^

8. College of Mount Saint Vincent (0-4) ^

 

* Emmanuel and MIT both had 12-1 game records, tie broken using point differential (+128/+104)

# Carthage and Lasell tie broken based on head-to-head result (Carthage def. Lasell, 3-1)

^ Tie broken based on set record for the total competition (Bard, 2-12; Mount Saint Vincent, 1-12)

 

Sunday, March 7

MIT def. College of Mount Saint Vincent, 3-0 (30-10, 30-25, 30-14)

Emmanuel College def. No. 5 Carthage College, 3-1 (37-35, 31-29, 30-32, 30-27)

No. 10 Milwaukee School of Engineering def. Lasell College, 3-0 (30-13, 30-25, 30-19)

University of New Haven def. Bard College, 3-2 (30-26, 27-30, 28-30, 35-33, 15-7)

 

MIT def. No. 5 Carthage College, 3-1 (28-30, 30-19, 30-25, 30-22)

No. 10 Milwaukee School of Engineering def Bard College, 3-0 (30-13, 30-19, 30-17)

Emmanuel College def. College of Mount Saint Vincent, 3-0 (30-14, 30-13, 30-21)

Lasell College def. University of New Haven, 3-0 (30-20, 30-15, 30-25)

 

Saturday, March 6

 

MIT def. Bard College, 3-0 (30-19, 30-17, 31-29)

No. 5 Carthage College def. Lasell College, 3-1 (30-25, 18-30, 30-18, 30-27)

Emmanuel College def. University of New Haven, 3-0 (30-22, 30-21, 30-25)

No. 10 Milwaukee School of Engineering def. College of Mount Saint Vincent, 3-0 (30-17, 30-17, 30-16)

 

No. 10 Milwaukee School of Engineering def. MIT, 3-1 (25-30, 30-20, 30-26, 30-25)

No. 5 Carthage College def. University of New Haven, 3-0 (30-22, 30-22, 30-17)

Emmanuel College def. Bard College, 3-0 (30-13, 30-25, 30-17)

Lasell College def. College of Mount Saint Vincent, 3-1 (30-28, 27-30, 31-29, 30-20)

 

All-Tournament Team

Spencer Parker, Lasell College

Randy Hansen, Carthage College

Mike Demyttenaere, MIT

Tyson Rietz, Emmanuel College

Chris Brandt, Milwaukee School of Engineering

Max Martin, Milwaukee School of Engineering

 

Tournament MVP: Curtis Abram, Emmanuel College