HOBOKEN, N.J. – Sophomore outside hitter Brian Woodworth (San Jose, Calif./Bellarmine Prep) had 21 kills and 11 digs as Stevens Institute of Technology cruised to a 3-0 win over Villa Julie College on Friday in a men’s volleyball match at the Canavan Arena.
Stevens (16-8), ranked 10th in the lastest AVCA Division III Coaches Poll, won for the tenth time in the last 11 matches. The Ducks posted scores of 30-21, 30-25, 30-15. Villa Julie drops to 0-7.
Resting three starters following Thursday night’s win over Division II Lees-McRae, Stevens was locked in a tight first game. Trailing 19-18, freshman outside hitter David Byrne (Chelmsford, Mass./Chelmsford) pulled the Ducks even with one of his 14 kills. Stevens then scored the next seven points on the serve of sophomore Christian Latoja (Jersey City, N.J./St. Peter’s Prep). Woodworth led the way with three kills as the Ducks took control. Stevens had 18 kills and just six errors in 33 attempts (.364) in the opening game.
Villa Julie stayed close through the first half of the second game as the score was tied on nine occasions. With Stevens holding a slim 16-15 lead, Woodworth served four straight points with two coming on aces and one on a kill by senior Daniel Atienza (Jersey City, N.J./St. Peter’s Prep). The Ducks, who had 15 kills in the game, also capitalized on 10 Mustang errors.
Stevens efficiently closed out the match with 17 kills and just two errors in 29 attempts (.517) in the third game. Faced with an early 4-1 deficit, the Ducks scored 11 of the next 12 points to open up a 12-5 lead. Atienza, who served six straight points, had two service aces while Woodworth added a pair of kills during the decisive stretch.
Woodworth and Byrne both recorded season-high totals in kills. Junior setter Gerard Aro (Jersey City, N.J./St. Peter’s Prep) had 43 assists, averaging 14.3 per game. Sophomore Alex Semidey (Passaic, N.J./Passaic) added four kills in four attempts while contributing six digs.
Following spring break, Stevens resumes play on Wednesday, March 19, with a 7 p.m. match against Division II New Haven.
