Jan. 20, 2010
Box Score
Boston, Mass. - The Emmanuel Men's Volleyball Team opened up Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) play with a 3-0 win over the visiting Mustangs of Mount Ida College on Wednesday night in the Jean Yawkey Center. With the win, the Saints, who were ranked 15th in this week's AVCA national poll, improve to 2-1 overall and 1-0 in league play. This match was the season opener for the Mustangs, who drop to 0-1 on the season.
The Mustangs jumped out to a quick 8-4 lead in the first set, forcing an early Emmanuel timeout. The Saints came out of the timeout and rattled off four unanswered points to tie the match at 8-all. The Saints then continued their run and took an 18-11 lead on a kill by Michael Townsend (Beaverdam, Va.), forcing the Mustangs to call a timeout of their own.
Emmanuel's senior setter Taylor Lowe (Malibu, Calif.) assisted on a kill by Keoni Rabaino (Tucson, Ariz.), as the Saints took a 27-16 lead. Another Lowe to Rabaino play made it 29-18 in favor of the hosts. Emmanuel won set-point on a kill by Townsend (30-19) and took a 1-0 match lead.
In set two, Emmanuel took a 15-7 lead on a solo block by Alexander Petty (Wayland, Mass.). The Saints went up 18-9 with a kill by Michael Mottola (Quincy, Mass.). The Saints' lead dwindled later in the match, but the hosts hung tough and took a 26-21 advantage on a kill by Petty. The five-point lead continued, as Emmanuel went up 27-22 on a kill by Matt Salvi (Trumbull, Conn.). The Saints then put set two away with another kill by Salvi, 30-24.
The Mustangs hung around early in the third set. The Saints took a 17-13 lead on a kill by freshman Nick Updike. A solo block by Petty capped off an 8-3 Emmanuel run and forced a Mount Ida timeout, as the Mustangs faced a 25-16 deficit. Out of the timeout, the Saints managed five points to just four by the visitors. Match-point was won on another kill by Petty, 30-20.
Petty played a solid all-around match for the Saints, slamming down a team-high 8 kills, to go along with 5 blocks. Mottola notched 7 kills for the hosts. Rabaino and Salvi tallied 6 kills apiece, while Lowe dished out a match-high 39 assists in the win.
Emmanuel will travel to New Paltz, N.Y. on Friday to play in the SUNY New Paltz's Hawks Invitational. The Saints will face tough competition, taking on Elms College and Baruch College on Friday and New Paltz and MIT on Saturday.
