Wentworth Splits Pair of Matches

BOSTON, Mass. – The Endicott men's volleyball team ran its win streak to three matches and remained unbeaten in North East Collegiate Volleyball Association play as the Gulls swept a pair of matches on Saturday, defeating Wentworth in a conference match, 3-0, and Mount Ida, 3-0, in a tri-match played at Wentworth's Tansey Gymnasium.

The opening match of the day saw the Gulls and Leopards battle through a hard-fought first game that featured 13 ties and neither team leading by more than three points through the first 32 combined points.  Trailing, 16-15, the Gulls scored five consecutive points and 15 of the game's final 18 points to take a 30-18 win.

In the second game, the two teams played an even opening segment, but, after Wentworth had cut and early lead to 7-5, Endicott went on a 10-0 run and would eventually win, 30-16, before using an 18-4 run in the middle of the third game to take a 30-14 win and the match.

The Gulls were led by senior A.J. Witkofsky (Scotia, N.Y.) who had 17 kills, four aces, and 12 blocks, while seniors John Emery (Westford, Mass.) and James Sliva (Monroe, Conn.) had eight kills each.  Sophomore David Lowe (Burnt Hills, N.Y.) had 12 digs, while senior Ben Foster (Penfield, N.Y.) had 38 assists.

Wentworth received a seven-kill, four-block performance from junior Derek Portugal (Barrington, R.I.), while classmates Lowell Jesmer (Rochester, N.Y.) and Tom Ceurvels (Weymouth, Mass.) had six and five kills, respectively.

Endicott would jump out to an early, 7-1 lead against Mount Ida before the Mustangs would eventually pull within a pair at 15-13.  However, an 8-1 run by the Gulls upped the lead to 23-14, en route to a 30-21 win in the opening game.  Game two saw the match tied at 3-all in the early going, but Endicott went on a 17-1 run to take a 20-4 lead and win the second game by a 30-11 score.

The third game would see Mount Ida come within a pair at 8-6, but that would be as close as the Mustangs would get as the Gulls took the match in three games with a 30-14 win.  Witkofsky had 11 kills, seven digs, four aces, and eight blocks, while Lowe had nine digs and Foster recorded 43 assists.

In the final match of the day Wentworth jumped out to a 10-1 lead over Mount Ida, and despite the Mustangs closing the gap to 28-20, the Leopards went ahead, 1-0, with a 30-22 win.  A fast start in the second game saw the Leopards turn a 4-2 lead into a 12-2 lead with eight straight points before winning the second game, 30-21.

Mount Ida trailed the third game by a 5-0 score but rallied to tie the game at 6-all and again at 9-all, before three straight Leopard points gave Wentworth the lead for good at 12-9.  The Mustangs scored the next point to make it a two-point game, but Wentworth scored 12 of the next 15 points and would eventually win, 30-24.

Portugal had eight kills, seven digs, and seven aces for the Leopards, while Ceurvels and junior Dan Mulvey (Halifax, Mass.) each had seven kills and combined for eight blocks, with Mulvey recording six.  Freshman Tyler Moriarty (Wilbraham, Mass.) had 28 assists and a pair of aces.

On the day, Mount Ida received strong performances from junior Thomas Belton (Springfield, Mass.) and freshman Spencer Hastings (Orlando, Fla.).  Belton had 16 kills, a pair of blocks, and five digs, while Hastings had 12 kills, two blocks and nine digs.

Endicott stands at 3-2 overall and 2-0 in league play.  The Gulls are at New Haven on Tuesday.  Wentworth stands at 4-2 overall and 2-1 in conference play and is idle until competing in the SUNY IT Invitational next weekend.  Mount Ida falls to 0-3 on the season.