BOSTON, Mass. – For the second-straight season, the top-seeded Wentworth Institute of Technology men's volleyball team topped the second-seeded Lasell Lasers, 3-1, in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference Championship, earning the Leopards their second-straight GNAC Championship and fourth overall. Each of Wentworth's last two championships have been won in front of a home crowd.
With the win, the Leopards advance to their third-straight NCAA Division III Men's Volleyball Tournament and fifth overall.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- The two teams traded points to start the first set as the rivals worked the score up until Lasell pulled away with a 9-5 lead. A kill by senior Hunter Oshman (Pennington, N.J.) later cut the Leopards' deficit to 11-9 before another Oshman kill marked a 12-10 deficit. The Lasers continued to hold the lead, working up to a 19-15 lead before a kill by junior Jacob LaBouliere (Pipersville, Pa.) cut the deficit to 19-16. LaBouliere and freshman Nicolai Bell (Moraga, Calif.) in the later going of the set, but the Lasers held on to a 25-19 set win, giving the visitors a 1-0 advantage.
- The two teams stuck close to start the second set as Oshman, Bell, and senior Tristan McDonough (Shelton, Conn.) kills eventually gave the hosts a 5-4 lead. Two LaBouliere kills, a Bell kill, and a kill by sophomore Sam Etter (Massillon, Ohio) helped guide the Leopards to a 14-9 lead before two Oshman kills marked a 18-13 score. Three kills from Etter capped by kills from Bell and LaBouliere gave Wentworth a 25-16 set win, tying the match at 1-1.
- LaBouliere struck another kill to give Wentworth a 3-2 lead in the third set before a McDonough kill paired with another by LaBouliere gave the hosts a 5-3 advantage. Etter and Oshman kills pushed the advantage to 12-9 before Oshman and LaBouliere kills expanded the lead to a 16-14 lead. The Lasers fought back, taking a 22-20 lead, but two services aces by junior Tyler Jack (San Jose, Calif.) helped the Leopards ride to a 25-22 set win and a 2-1 match lead.
- Wentworth set out to a commanding 7-2 lead in the fourth set thanks to six kills from LaBouliere. An Etter kill pushed the advantage to 11-4 before an Oshman kill continued the lead to 12-7. Three LaBouliere kills and an Oshman kill carried the lead to 19-10 before a slew of errors and a Bell kill gave the Leopards a 25-14 set win and a 3-1 match win.
- LaBouliere paced the Leopards with 24 kills en route to earning the GNAC Tournament's Most Outstanding Player honors. Also earning honors for the Black & Gold were Oshman and sophomore Josh Milke (Eastampton, N.J.), both of whom were named to the GNAC All-Tournament Team. Milke topped his previously-set career-high in assists with 52 in today's win.
SERIES NOTES:
- Today marked the 53rd all-time meeting between the two teams and the third since their date in the GNAC Championship a season ago. Wentworth owns a 33-20 all-time record.
NEXT UP:
- The Leopards await their first opponent in the NCAA Division III Tournament as the Selection Show takes place Monday, April 17, at 10:00 a.m.
For the latest on Wentworth Athletics, follow the Leopards via social media on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Fans can also download the Wentworth Leopards "Front Row" mobile app, powered by PrestoSports, on iTunes and the Android Market.
