HARRISONBURG, Va. (February 15, 2008) – The fifth-ranked Stevens Institute of Technology men's volleyball team suffered its second consecutive five-game loss of the week as it fell (30-28, 28-30, 30-28, 23-30, 16-18) to Eastern Mennonite University Friday night in Harrisonburg, Va. With the loss, the Ducks drop to 6-5 on the season.
From the start you knew it was going to be a long and grueling match as Game 1 featured each of the teams trading points with neither squad having led by more than two. Stevens earned the hard-fought victory as games two and three followed the same way.
After a strong offensive attack put on display by the Royals, which led to a Game 4 23-30 decision in their favor, the match was tied at two games apiece heading into the final Game 5. With the exchanging of points till the score read 12-all, Stevens called a timeout to talk things over. Down 13-14, a kill from junior outside hitter Tomas Bochicchio knotted the score once again at 14. The Ducks in the same exact position from two nights before when they lost to No. 7 Vassar College 16-18, a feeling of “Déjà vu” came about as once again Stevens tied the score at 15 and 16. However, the Ducks were unsuccessful in trying to avenge its past loss as Stevens was defeated after a service error and then a kill landed by freshman middle hitter Frankie Coto (Miami, Fla.) of EMU.
Junior outside hitter Joe Trinsey led the Ducks with 17 kills, three blocks and one service ace. Junior middle hitter Andrew Cranford notched 16 kills and eight total blocks, while Bochicchio registered 15 kills and five blocks.
Freshmen setters Brandt Grobeis and Aaron Ostrovsky combined for 66 assists. Grobeis posted 34 as Ostrovsky launched 32. Defensively for the Ducks, junior libero Michael Ozols tallied 11 digs.
The Royals (7-7) were led by senior outside hitter Ethan Fry (Guatemala City, Guat.) who recorded 19 kills and four blocks. Senior right-side hitter Calen Hochstetler (Orange County, Calif.) accumulated 15 kills and a pair of blocks, while senior setter Benjamin Yoder (Lederach, Pa.) totaled 65 assists. Sophomore outside hitter Colten New (Richmond, Va.) added 12 digs in the victory.
Stevens will take on Lees-McRae College (0-6) tomorrow, scheduled for a noon start. Live stats will be offered at http://www.emu.edu/athletics/livestats/xlive.htm.
