POUGHKEEPSIE, NY - The No. 3 Vassar College Men's Volleyball team extended its winning streak to 12 matches on Friday evening as the Brewers opened United Volleyball Conference (UVC) play with a 25-23, 33-31, 25-21 sweep against No. 20 MIT. Vassar's record improves to 12-0 overall and 1-0 in conference play while the Engineers drop to 9-6 on the season and 0-2 in UVC contests.
First Set
- MIT took the first five points of the set following three aces from Kevin Windisch along with a kill and block from Jensen Fiskin.
- Vassar clawed back to within two at 10-8 after two kills from first year Henry Bonney and a winner from senior Billy Fan.
- The Brewers came all the way back to draw even at 16 following another Bonney kill and a winner from senior Gavin Akoto.
- MIT pushed back ahead 20-18 on a winner from Grant Oh before two kills from first year Shawn Zheng and an ace from Fan gave the Brewers a 21-20 advantage.
- Windisch's kill tied the set at 23 all until Vassar took the set after a kill from senior Tobias Clark and a set-clinching ace from Zheng.
Second Set
- VC gained a 10-6 lead after winners from Clark, Akoto and Fan and an ace from sophomore Armaan Desai.
- Two kills from Maddox Brandenburg put the Engineers within a point at 13-12.
- A three-point run from MIT put MIT ahead 21-19 after a Oh winner.
- Vassar responded to tie the set at 23 on a block from Fan, Desai and Bonney as neither team could pull away for the set win.
- MIT put the set at 31 apiece on a kill from Oh before Desai buried a winner to earn the second set 33-31 victory.
Third Set
- The Engineers earned a 5-3 lead to begin the third set before Vassar answered with an ace from Clark and a block from Akoto and Bonney to push ahead by a point.
- An ace from Desai extended the lead to 13-11 followed by kills from junior Eli Lee and Fan to go ahead 17-14.
- MIT trimmed the advantage down to 20-18 on a block from Oh and Michael Rini.
- Blocks from Fan, Desai, Zheng and Clark tacked on to the lead as the Brewers pulled away 23-18.
- Kills from Zheng and Akoto clinched the conference opening sweep for Vassar.
For The Brewers
- Fan tallied a team-high 10 kills, two blocks and five digs along with Clark adding eight kills, three blocks and five digs.
- Zheng garnered eight kills and three blocks while Akoto recorded six kills and three blocks.
- Desai chipped in five winners, two aces and four blocks along with Bonney registering four winners and three blocks.
- Senior Payne Lounsbery handed out a team-high 20 assists and lifted 10 digs while sophomore Parker Schoenl tallied 15 assists and five digs.
- Sophomore Tucker Shearn lifted a team-high 11 digs.
For The Engineers
- Oh buried a match-high 13 kills and two blocks while Windisch buried eight kills, three aces, a block and three digs.
- Ryan Espinoza added four kills and 11 digs along with Fiskin recording a match-high 24 assists and six digs.
- Azfal Peermohammed lifted a match-high 12 digs at libero.
Up Next
- Vassar will hit the road for a non-conference clash with #7 Springfield tomorrow evening at 6:00 p.m.
- MIT will make its way down to #1 NYU at 2:00 p.m. tomorrow