HOBOKEN, N.J. – Fresh off of their second-straight Great Northeast Athletic Conference Championship win, the eleventh-ranked Wentworth Institute of Technology men's volleyball team (27-7) opened up the NCAA Division III Men's Volleyball Tournament with a 3-1 rally past the seventh-ranked St. John Fisher Cardinals (24-8), whom they also defeated in the opening round last season. With the win, the Leopards advance to the Second Round for the second-straight season.

 HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Wentworth set out to a 2-1 lead in the first set on a kill by senior Hunter Oshman (Pennington, N.J.) before St. John Fisher notched a 6-3 lead. A kill by Oshman cut the deficit to 6-4 and a kill by junior Jacob LaBouliere (Pipersville, Pa.) later cut the deficit to 7-6. Behind 11-7, a kill by senior Tristan McDonough (Shelton, Conn.) cut the deficit to 11-8 before a kill by sophomore Sam Etter (Massillon, Ohio) helped carry the score to 14-12 in favor of the Cardinals. The Cardinals held the lead to a 23-20 score, with Wentworth staying in it thanks to kills from LaBouliere. An Etter kill marked a 24-21 score before the Cardinals grabbed the first set by a 25-21 score.
• Two kills from LaBouliere gave Wentworth a 2-1 lead in the second set before an Etter kill marked a 4-3 lead. Behind 6-5, the Leopards grabbed a 7-6 lead thanks to back-to-back kills from Oshman and LaBouliere. Kills from Oshman and sophomore Josh Milke (Eastampton, N.J.) marked a 9-7 lead before a kill by LaBouliere marked a 10-8 score. Tied at 13 apiece, an Etter kill gave Wentworth a 14-13 lead before another Etter kill later gave the Black & Gold a 17-16 edge. Behind 20-19, a LaBouliere kill tied the set at 20-20 before two kills from Etter and others from Oshman and LaBouliere helped the Leopards snag a 25-23 set win, knotting the match at 1-1.
• Behind 2-0 to start the third set, Wentworth dwindled the deficit to 2-1 thanks to a kill by freshman Nicolai Bell (Moraga, Calif.). Behind 4-3, the Leopards knotted the match at four apiece with a kill from senior Colin Stockton (Hummelstown, Pa.). Two kills from Etter and another from Oshman gave the Leopards a 7-5 advantage before a Bell kill marked a 9-6 lead. Four LaBouliere kills paced Wentworth to a 15-10 lead before an Etter kill marked a 18-14 lead. A kill from LaBouliere marked a 19-16 lead for the Leopards before an Oshman kill later cut the Leopards' deficit to 21-20 after a push back from the Cardinals. The Leopards set out to a 24-23 lead off of a LaBouliere kill before a big block from Stockton and Oshman secured the Leopards a 25-23 set win and a 2-1 match lead.
• Wentworth set out to a commanding 8-2 lead in the fourth set thanks to kills from LaBouliere and Oshman. Another Oshman kill marked a 12-4 lead before Bell and LaBouliere kills marked a 14-7 advantage. Two-straight kills from LaBouliere marked a 17-11 lead before another LaBouliere kill and a service ace from the junior extended the lead to 19-12. Two Oshman kills pushed the Leopards' lead to 23-16 before a kill by Bell clinched Wentworth a 25-17 set win and a 3-1 match win.
• LaBouliere led the Black & Gold with 23 kills as Oshman followed with 18. Milke dished out 49 assists while Bell led with six blocks.

SERIES NOTES:

• Wentworth now leads the all-time series, 3-2, after a five-set win for the Cardinals back on January 20 evened the series at two matches each.

 NEXT UP:

• The eleventh-ranked Leopards will play the winner of the second-ranked Stevens and Geneva match tomorrow at 6:00 p.m. at Canavan Arena.

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