MAHWAH, N.J. (April 17, 2009) – Senior middle hitter Andrew Cranford of the second-ranked Stevens Institute of Technology men's volleyball team helped to propel the squad to its first-ever national title match appearance after the Ducks upended the University of California-Santa Cruz in the semifinal of the 2009 Division III Molten Volleyball Championship Friday night in Mahwah, N.J. The victory marks the first time in the Duck's sixth trip to the Molten Tournament that the squad has advanced to the final match. Recently named the American Volleyball Coaches Association National Player of the Year, Cranford produced a .429 hitting percentage with 11 kills on 21 swings and tallied six total blocks. Stevens will play Juniata College for the national title on Saturday, which is scheduled to start at 8 p.m.
Check back for complete results and team stats later tonight. A fan bus will be provided once again for those who are looking for transportation to and from the Ramapo College campus. It will depart from Jonas Hall on Stevens campus in Hoboken, N.J. at 6 p.m. Call or email Executive Assistant for Athletics Laurie Kwiatkowski at 201-216-5627 Laurie.Kwiatkowski@stevens.edu to reserve a seat. Otherwise you can show up to the bus; however those who have secured a spot will have seating priority.
The way the Ducks muscled their way through the North East Collegiate Volleyball Association Championship Tournament to be crowned champs two weeks ago, Stevens carried the same intensity and momentum into tonight's hard-fought win over UC-Santa Cruz. The Ducks led for the majority of Sets 1 and 2, then clawed back late into Set 3 to complete the sweep of the Banana Slugs.
Game 1 was back and forth throughout the entire contest. The set featured 13 score ties and three lead changes. Having trailed by two (17-15), Cranford swung the momentum back in favor of Stevens off a kill that landed right in front of the attack line. An attacking error by the Banana Slugs then brought the set to a 17-17 deadlock. The set was then tied at 18 and 19 before an ace by Cranford put the Ducks back on top (20-19). Stevens went on a 10-5 run to close out the set, as a pair of kills from both outside hitters, sophomore SteFan PremDas and senior Joe Trinsey helped to secure the 30-24 victory. Senior outside hitter Tomas Bochicchio led the offensive attack having blasted four kills. Cranford and PremDas tallied three apiece to guide the Ducks to a 1-0 advantage on the match. Senior middle hitter Doug Reger had two blocks, while sophomore setter Brandt Grobeis dished out nine assists.
Stevens maintained a three-point lead throughout the majority of Game 2. The Ducks jumped out to a 6-2 advantage, however the Banana Slugs battled back to pull within one (12-11). Stevens then posted a 4-1 spurt off of a kill from Bochicchio and a pair off the hot hand of Cranford. UC slowly crept back into the set to once again come within one (21-20). The Ducks kept a stronghold of the lead, however Santa Cruz fought back to tie the set at 25 and 26. The seesaw effect of trading points came to end as Trinsey and PremDas registered kills at 27 and 29, respectively. Bochicchio gave Stevens a 2-0 advantage on the match when his serve tipped off the top portion of the tape (net) and fell straight down on the hardwood for point 30 (30-26 SIT). Four members for Stevens notched three kills in the win (Bochicchio, Cranford, Reger and Trinsey). Grobeis connected on 13 assists, while Cranford and PremDas each tallied a pair of blocks.
Arguably one of the most exciting sets played by the Ducks where they were able to fight back against a very talented opponent came in Set 3 of tonight's win. Teams traded points in the early going before Santa Cruz went ahead 10-8. The Banana Slugs then maintained at least a two-point lead until the Ducks knotted the game at 17-all. Stevens went ahead off an ace from Reger, however a service error and attacking error by Stevens swung the set back in favor of the Banana Slugs. Stevens hung tough to come back and tie the set at 25-25. An attack error by UC, followed up with a kill from Bochicchio gave the Ducks a two point advantage. Two-consecutive side-outs by Stevens allowed Santa Cruz to stay in the match. It was then tied at 28 and 29 before Cranford landed a kill, and an attack by the Banana Slugs went wide of the court to have Stevens win Set 3, 31-29. Cranford led the way with five kills and two blocks. Trinsey and PremDas each had three kills in the win. Grobeis dished out 12 assists, while Bochicchio had four kills.
Overall, Stevens manufactured a .341 hitting percentage and tallied 12.5 total blocks. Santa Cruz posted a team attacking rating of .204 and had just four team blocks. Bochicchio led the way with Cranford in kills (11) as also lifted seven digs for the Ducks. Grobeis finished with 34 assists and four blocks. PremDas and Trinsey each had eight kills, while PremDas notched four total blocks and Trinsey added a pair.
The Ducks will now face the Eagles of Juniata for the National Title. A season that began back in January for Stevens, has now come down to one last final game. Seven seniors will take the court in what will be their last match in a Duck uniform. As for Juniata, the Ducks have fallen to the Eagles twice over the past two seasons in five games. The squads have taken each other into extra play both times with Juniata coming out on top. In both losses, the Eagles have jumped out to a two-set lead. Stevens came back both times to take Games 3 and 4, however would fall in the fifth. This is sure to be a very exciting and emotional championship match. If you are in the New Jersey area, be sure to take advantage of the FREE fan bus that will take you to and from the Ramapo campus. The bus will depart at 6 p.m. outside of Jonas Hall on Stevens' campus. Scores for January 23, 2008 – 22-30, 24-30, 30-20, 30-26, 15-17. Scores for February 12, 2009 – 21-30, 25-30, 30-25, 30-27, 19-21.
-Be sure to check back on a photo gallery of the Molten weekend-
A fan bus will be provided once again for those who are looking for transportation to and from the Ramapo College campus. It will depart from Jonas Hall on Stevens campus in Hoboken, N.J. at 6 p.m. Call or email Executive Assistant for Athletics Laurie Kwiatkowski at 201-216-5627 Laurie.Kwiatkowski@stevens.edu to reserve a seat. Otherwise you can show up to the bus; however those who have secured a spot will have seating priority.
Play-by-Play
Stevens Starters
OH – SteFan PremDas
OH – Tomas Bochicchio
S – Brandt Grobeis
OH – Joe Trinsey
L – Michael Ozols
DS – Michael Bertucci
MH – Andrew Cranford
Set 1
Trailing 3-1 in the first set, Cranford shows why he deserved to be name the National Player of the Year, drilling two kills to knot it at 4-all. It has been back and forth throughout. Stevens grabbed a slight 9-8 advantage but Santa Cruz came right back to tie the set at 12-12. Grobeis now back to serve off a service error by the Banana Slugs.
Santa Cruz just went up by two (15-13) bit a big solo block by Reger has brought Stevens within one. A sideout by the Banana Slugs put Reger back behind the serving line. Both teams are looking sharp; Cranford is just unstoppable right now, landed another kill (18-18).
Ducks just won a long hard-fought volley to deadlock the set at 19-all. Cranford just launched an ace to put the Ducks up by one (20-19). An attacking error by the Banana Slugs has Stevens now up by two as Sanata Cruz burns a timeout.
Grobeis just roofed (blocked) one of the attacking attempts by Santa Cruz, Trinsey followed it up with a kill that split the block attempt of UC. Ducks up 25-22 right now, Bochicchio just landed a kill from the back row. Miscommunication by the Banana Slugs just gave Stevens another point (26-22) and the largest lead margin of the set. UC timeout.
Service error by Santa Cruz, Ducks up 27-23. Another big block by Stevens, this time a combo from Cranford and Grobeis. Game point with Trinsey back to serve; error. Grobeis just dumped the ball over the net to catch the Banana Slugs back on their heals to let Stevens come away with Set 1, 30-24.
Set 2
It might be the Stevens fans that made the 35-mile trip from campus in Hoboken, N.J. that are taking UC out of its game. PremDas came out with a huge solo block, then teamed with Cranford for another. A pair of consecutive attacking errors by the Banana Slugs has Stevens holding a 5-1 advantage early in Set 2. Santa Cruz takes a timeout.
Out of the timeout, PremDas served up a pretty ace to extend the Ducks' lead. Reger laid down a nice tip attack for a point. Now Grobeis just got in on the service attack was he delivered an ace. Stevens up 10-5.
Head Coach Patrick Dorywalski had one of his player's call for a timeout after UC just went on a 3-0 run (10-8 SIT). Reger pounded a kill through a double block off the dish from Grobeis. However the Banana Slugs are staying in it just trailing by two, 11-9. Santa Cruz will not back down just pulled within one.
The Ducks are holding onto that two-point lead after Cranford just drilled another kill. Bochicchio pushed an attacking attempt off the block of a Santa Cruz player for a point. UC committed another attacking error and called a timeout to talk things over (16-12 SIT).
Santa Cruz is slowing chipping away, back within one (19-18). Trinsey blasted a kill off the hands of a Banana Slug for a point. Ducks cannot run away with this, Santa Cruz has kept the deficit to just a point. A costly service error by UC has PremDas back to serve and Stevens ahead 24-22.
Cranford is making a statement right now; he just pounded another kill through a triple block. But UC just knotted it at 25-all, first tie of the set. Service error gave Stevens back the ball, as the Ducks surrendered it on a service error. Trinsey just roofed one of the attackers from UC to put the Ducks up by two (28-26). PremDas brings Stevens to game point on an an important kill. Bochicchio closed the set out with an ace as the ball hit rolled off the top of the tape and onto the hardwood (30-26). Ducks hold a 2-0 advantage on the match.
Set 3
After a 10-minute break, Set 3 is now underway. It must be a Molten rule, as most know there is only three minutes between games. I'm assuming that after a team comes within a set of claiming the match, that they allow each squad to head to the locker rooms to be "coached-up" by their staff.
The Ducks started off in a slight hole (2-0), but a Trinsey kill and a Grobeis solo blocked has knotted it at 2-all. UC jumped ahead by two again, however Cranford responded with a kill and another block by the Ducks has tied it at 4 apiece.
Service ace by Santa Cruz has put the Banana Slugs up by three. PremDas just went cross court to sneak the ball inside the line and pull Stevens within one (9-8). But a block by Santa Cruz and a kill on an overpass has the set in its favor 11-8.
Another jaw-dropping kill from Cranford has cut the UC lead to two points. Both squads just battled back-and-forth for points with Stevens still behind 15-13. A kill from Trinsey has put the Ducks back within two (16-14). However the Banana Slugs are continuing to hold that two or three point lead.
A kill from Cranford and a kill from PremDas on an overpass by UC has allowed Stevens to claw back into the set and tie it at 17-all. An ace from Reger has given the Ducks their first lead of the set. A Reger service error and an ace from the Banana Slugs has swung the momentum back in favor of Santa Cruz. Stevens has just tied it at 20-all off a combo block.
The Banana Slugs are not backing down, went ahead by two once again (24-22). A Grobeis block has cut that deficit to just a point. Trinsey followed it up with a kill to tie the set once again for Stevens, this time at 24-all. UC just burnt a timeout. Grobeis will be back to serve when we return to play.
A kill from Bochicchio after a UC landed one has tied it up at 25-25. PremDas and Reger just combined for a block to give Stevens the lead. Bochicchio gave the Ducks their first two-point advantage of the set off a kill from the middle (27-25).
Set tied at 27, but a service error by the Banana Slugs has the Ducks leading 28-27 with Bertucci back to serve. Blocking error on Stevens has once again tied the set. A Cranford kill has brough the Ducks within match point! Trinsey to serve...good pass and better set by UC landed a kill for the Banana Slugs to tie it at 29-all. Cranford just landed another kill. An attacking error by Santa Cruz has given the match to Stevens and has advanced the Ducks for the first time in their sixth trip to the national title match (31-29).
