CHICOPEE, Mass. (March 30, 2019) – The No. 4 Stevens Institute of Technology men's volleyball team defeated Dean College (25-3, 25-9, 25-14) in three sets before falling to No. 12 Elms College (23-25, 25-15, 23-25, 17-25) Saturday in a tri-match at the Maguire Center.
In game one, freshman
Jack Fyda delivered a career-best 11 aces as classmate
Alexei Nikiforov led with seven kills. The Ducks were led by sophomore
Jack Bittker with his double-double of 12 kills and 12 digs in game two. Stevens fell to 23-4 on the year.
Dean was paced by Aaron Brody with three blocks and Jaren Brooks with three digs. The Bulldogs dropped to 4-18 this season.
Elms topped both the Ducks and the Bulldogs in the tri-match. Jeremy Torres led the Blazers with a match-high 23 kills. Elms improved their overall record to 25-4.
Volleys and Points (Dean)
- The Ducks opened the first set 11-0 as Fyda issued seven aces and the Bulldogs committed four errors.
- Dean registered their only three points of the set on errors by the Ducks.
- Stevens ended the set after scoring 10-straight points that included four kills from freshman Stedman van Arsdale.
- Fyda began set two with another ace before freshman Zachary Evans issued a kill.
- Following an attack error by Stevens, Nathan Minese collected an ace and Aaron Brody set down a pass to bring the Bulldogs within one point.
- Freshman Harry de Haas recorded a kill and an ace prior to classmate Colin Nikc delivering a kill to put Stevens up 8-4.
- Brody blocked a Ducks' attempt and Jaren Brooks set down a pass from John Kauffman to keep Dean within three points.
- Fyda then collected back-to-back kills before collecting a block with Evans and Amerman issuing an ace to put the Ducks up 13-7.
- Stevens ended the second set on an 8-1 run thanks to two aces from Fyda, two kills by freshman Alexei Nikiforov, and a kill and an ace from Evans.
- After starting the third set with a 5-3 lead, the Ducks went on a 7-0 run as Nikiforov tallied five aces.
- Brooks delivered a kill to end the streak.
- The Bulldogs then shortened the lead to five when Fyda committed an error, Brooks had a kill and Brody blocked an attempt by Evans.
- Two errors by Dean and a kill by Nikiforov gave Stevens an 18-10 advantage.
- The Ducks then took a 10-point lead following kills from de Haas and Nikiforov.
Match Point (Dean)
- Evans set down a pass from Nikc to end the match.
Volleys and Points (No. 12 Elms)
- After an error by Elms, sophomore Ryan Byrne delivered a kill prior to senior Cooper Diamond and junior David Lehman collecting a block to begin the first set.
- Jeremy Torres issued his first kill of the match to put Elms on the board.
- The Blazers came back to take an 11-8 lead following a 5-1 run that included one kill apiece by Daniel Martinez and Jake Johnson and three errors by Stevens.
- A kill by junior Jonathan Frenzel and two errors by Elms brought the Ducks within one point.
- Elms then took a 20-16 lead following kills by Jeremy Torres and Luis Martinez.
- Stevens was able to tie the set at 21 when Byrne and Lehman each issued a kill, Bittker and Diamond tallied a block and Diamond issued an ace.
- Jovanny Torres recorded a kill before a Ducks error ended the first set.
- The Ducks opened the second set with a 7-2 lead as Byrne totaled two kills and Stevens had two blocks.
- Elms cut the lead to three after kills by L. Martinez and Jeremy Torres and an error by the Ducks.
- A kill from Lehman and two kills from Bittker put Stevens up 15-8.
- The Ducks then extended their lead to 10 as Bittker, senior Jacob Patterson, Lehman and Byrne each registered a kill.
- Frenzel set down a pass from Patterson to end the second set and tie the match 1-1.
- Bittker delivered a kill before an error by the Blazers gave Stevens the first two points of the third set.
- Byrne and Lehman each issued a kill to put the Ducks up 7-4.
- After a kill by Jeremy Torres and an error by Stevens, Blazers cut the lead to one.
- Bittker delivered a kill before Lehman issued an ace to give Stevens an 11-7 lead.
- The Blazers were able to climb their way back to a 16-14 lead when L. Martinez and Jeremy Martinez each delivered two kills and Carlos Mercado added one.
- Stevens tied the set at 20 following three errors by the Blazers and a kill by Lehman.
- Jeremy Torres set down a pass from Mercado to end the set.
- Elms jumped on a 3-0 lead to begin the fourth set before taking an 8-2 when Jovanny Torres collected two kills, Jeremy Torres and L. Martinez each issued kills and L. Martinez registered a block.
- The Ducks cut their lead to four following a kill by Diamond.
- The Blazers then took a 10-point lead following one kill apiece from Jeremy and Jovanny Torres and two blocks by Elms.
- Stevens fought back with a kill by Diamond and two errors by Elms.
Match Point (No. 12 Elms)
- Torres delivered back-to-back kills to end the match.
Inside the Numbers (Dean)
- The Ducks registered a .889 hitting percentage in set one after collecting eight kills on nine attempts.
- Dean to a negative hitting percentage in each set but the third.
- Stevens totaled a season-high 23 aces.
- de Haas registered his first collegiate ace in the match while recording a career-best five kills.
- Nikiforov added career-highs of eight aces and seven kills.
- Brody led all players with three blocks.
Inside the Numbers (No. 12 Elms)
- Elms edged the Ducks in hitting percentage, .237 to .230.
- Stevens posted a .353 hitting percentage in the second set.
- Diamond recorded a match-high seven blocks.
- Bittker, Diamond, Lehman, Fyda and Byrne each collected an ace.
- Senior Joshua Hinton tied Bittker's match-high 12 digs.
Up Next
- The Ducks welcome No. 11 Southern Virginia University to Hoboken on Friday, April 5 for a 4:30 P.M. start.
- Live stats and video links at StevensDucks.com.
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