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Vassar Sweeps Past No. 11 MIT and NJCU In Tri-Match
MIT
Box Score
NJCU
Box Score
Match
Program
POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (February 26, 2011) – The Vassar College
men’s volleyball team knocked out No. 11 nationally ranked
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and New Jersey City
University in straight sets Saturday afternoon at Kenyon Hall.
The Brewers (14-7) take a four-match win streak to Springfield
College for a match on Tuesday, March 1, at 7:00 p.m. The Engineers
(18-5) host Elms College on Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. The Gothic Knights
(7-10) play Milwaukee School of Engineering at home on Tuesday at
7:00 p.m.
Vassar 3, MIT 0 (25-23, 25-22, 25-19)
In playing their best match of the season, the Brewers downed MIT
in straight sets. In a fast-paced and powerfully played match,
Vassar had a particularly strong defensive presence at net, earning
14 blocks (two solo and 14 assisted) in the victory. The eight
total team blocks tied for the second best mark of the season and
were especially vital in the third and deciding set.
“ It was the best all-around match we’ve
played,” said head coach Jonathan Penn. “We were very
steady and focused so it was our best mental match.”
Senior Evan
Fredericksen led Vassar with 11 kills, but it was the
play of sophomore Matthew
Elgin who led an attack game. Elgin had 10 kills and hit
.412 for the match. He earned five of those kills in the third set
without a miscue. Elgin’s net play was the difference, as he
collected two block solos and six block assists. Junior Lucas
Rathjens contributed nine kills with only one error on 22
attack attempts. Sophomore setter John
Konow had 39 of Vassar’s 40 set assists. Sophomore
Christian
La Du had 20 digs, with Fredericksen adding 11 of his
own.
MIT, which hit only .154 for the match, was led by junior David
Thomas with 13 kills. Sophomore Matt Hohenberger had 11 kills.
Senior setter Tim Lee had 20 set assists and 15 digs.
Vassar clinched the match with a smartly played third set that was
only tied three times. The Brewers broke free from a 9-9 tie by
going on a 10-3 run to take a 19-12 lead on an MIT service error.
Vassar had its best attack set (.333) connecting on 13 kills with
only one error. The seven point lead held with Elgin securing the
final two points of the match off punctuating kills.
Committing nine attack errors and hitting .047 in the second set
hurt MIT’s chances to extend the match. Vassar jumped out to
a 15-10 lead with kills coming from Elgin, Rathjens, and sophomore
Charles
Caldwell. The Engineers did battle back, drawing to a
21-21 set behind back-to-back kills from junior David Thomas. A
kill from Caldwell and back-to-back MIT attack errors with
sophomore Patrick
Donohue serving pushed Vassar ahead 24-22. A Fredericksen
kill earned the Brewers a 2-0 match lead.
The opening set started tightly, with Vassar holding a slight
12-10 lead. The Brewers methodically build an 18-12 lead, but three
straight attack errors late in the second enabled the Engineers to
tie the set at 20-20. The set was tied at 22 and 23 before a costly
MIT attack error and a Fredericksen kill provided the Brewers with
a 1-0 match advantage.
Vassar 3, NJCU 0 (25-8, 26-24, 26-24)
The Brewers narrowly defeated New Jersey City University in
straight sets with come from behind 26-24 wins in the second and
third set. Facing five match points in the third set with a 24-19
deficit, Frederickson carried the team on a 7-0 run to the 26-24
victory. He thumped a punishing kill to regain serve at 24-20 and
then pounded three of the following six serves for aces. The Gothic
Knights led for the entire set with the exception of two early ties
and held its largest lead at 18-9 following a kill by Nathan
Joubert.
Trailing 24-22 in the second set, Vassar fought off two set points
and claimed the set with a 4-0 run, capping the spurt with a
service ace by Caldwell and a kill by Elgin. The Brewers trailed
for the entirety of the set and tied twice before the run.
Vassar hummed a .448 hitting percentage in the first set for a
commanding 25-8 win. Following a 4-4 tie, the Brewers rolled for a
21-4 run with four kills each from Caldwell and Elgin.
Fredericksen led Vassar with 14 kills on a .448 attack percentage.
Junior Clifford
Quinn tallied a game high 27 set assists and La Du picked
up 14 digs.
Michael Kucza led the Gothic Knights with 10 kills, hitting four
each in the second and third sets. Jorge Rodriguez posted 23 set
assists and Chris Edra registered 17 digs.
