Watch Highlights Here | Post-Game Press Conference | Updated Tournament Bracket
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Three players recorded 10 or more kills including senior Jake Reed (Arvada, Colo.) who had a team-high 12 as the Wentworth Institute of Technology men's volleyball team swept Juniata, 3-0, in a quarterfinal round match of the 2017 NCAA Division III Men's Volleyball Tournament played at Springfield College.
With the win the fifth-ranked Leopards improve to 28-6, establishing a program record for both wins in a season and consecutive victories (11). Wentworth advances to the national semifinals for the first time in program history. The Black & Gold will play fourth-ranked New Paltz (26-8) on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. as the Hawks beat Vassar, 3-0. The semifinal match will be a rematch of last season's quarterfinal match, won by the Hawks, 3-1.
In the opening set there were four ties early before Wentworth took an 11-9 lead after a block from junior Ollie Oshman (Pennington, N.J.) and a Juniata service error. The Leopards' lead went to 14-10 after a ball handling error and would take a 15-11 lead at the media time out. Out of the time out the Black & Gold pushed the lead to 19-14 after a kill from junior Jon Roat (Macedon, N.Y.). Juniata crept back in, cutting the lead to 19-17 after a kill from junior Matt Vasinko (Loyalhanna, Pa.) and forced Wentworth to take a time out. Reed recorded a kill out of the time out and Roat followed with a kill to make it 21-17. The Leopards took a 23-18 lead on an Oshman kill and took the set 25-20 after a service error. Roat had six kills in the set.
The Eagles opened the second set by scoring the first three points before a service error got Wentworth on the board. The Leopards used a 5-1 spurt to take a 7-5 lead on a kill from senior Sean Mullen (Longwood, Fla.). An attack error gave Wentworth a 10-6 lead and forced Juniata into calling a time out. The Leopards' lead increased to 15-9 after a kill from Roat and after an ace from Potts made it 15-10, the Eagles called their second time out of the set. Out of the time out, the Black & Gold increased their lead to 21-12 after an Oshman kill. Juniata scored the next two points to make it 21-14 and closed the gap to 22-16 before a blocking error made it 23-16 and Wentworth took the second set 25-17.
A tight opening to the third set let to Wentworth taking a 6-3 lead on back-to-back aces from Mullen. Juniata closed the gap to 8-6 before a service error and two aces from Mullen made it 11-6. The Eagles closed the gap to 13-9 on a kill from senior Kyle Seeley (Ellicott City, Md.) and pulled within three on a freshman Sean Cavanagh (Cranberry Township, Pa.) kill. Back-to-back kills from Mullen extended the lead to 16-11. The Eagles scored four of the next five points to pull within a pair at 17-15 after a ball handling error and forced the Leopards to call time out. Out of the time out Oshman recorded a kill to end the run, however Wentworth gave the point back on a service error and an attack error brought the Eagles within one at 18-17. Reed threw down a kill to make it 20-18 and a Potts block made it 21-18. A ball handling error made it 22-19 before a Seeley kill made it 22-20. Potts recorded a kill and served an ace to make it 24-20, which forced Juniata to call time out. Out of the time out the Eagles closed it to 24-21 however Mullen ended the match with a kill.
Reed hit .400 on the match (12-4-20) and had four digs. Roat finished with 11 kills while Mullen added 10 on 16 swings with just two errors for a .500 attack percentage. Oshman hit .750 on the night (6-0-8) while Potts had five kills and served four aces. Junior Collin Ritter (Feeding Hills, mass.) had 35 assists and 12 digs.
Seeley had a team-high eight kills to pace Juniata while Seeley had seven without making an error on 13 swings (.538).
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.
August 21, 2017
Four Honored With Awards at Senior Athlete Recognition Luncheon
April 29, 2017
Men's Volleyball Oulasted by New Paltz in NCAA Semifinals
April 24, 2017
Four Men's Volleyball Players Named to AVCA All-America Team
April 18, 2017
Ritter, Giglio Highlight Men's Volleyball's All-GNAC Honors
April 17, 2017
NCAA Selections: Men's Volleyball Earns First-Round Bye
April 8, 2017
Men's Volleyball Claims Top Seed in GNAC Tournament
April 6, 2017
Giglio Honored With AVCA's Thirty Under 30 Award
April 4, 2017
Reed, Hansen Earn GNAC Weekly Honors
March 28, 2017
Men's Volleyball Reaches Milestone in Win Over Rivier
March 25, 2017
Men's Volleyball Takes GNAC Tri-Match
March 23, 2017
Lasell Outlasts Men's Volleyball
March 20, 2017
Engel Tabbed as GNAC Rookie of the Week
March 19, 2017
Men's Volleyball Sweeps Tri-Match to Run Streak to Five
March 14, 2017
Ritter Named AVCA Division III Player of the Week
March 11, 2017
Potts Sets Career Block Record in Upset Over UC-Santa Cruz
March 10, 2017
Men's Volleyball Opens Tournament With Two Wins
March 4, 2017
Men's Volleyball Drops Pair at Springfield
February 28, 2017
Men's Volleyball Sweeps Emerson for Fourth Straight Win
February 27, 2017
Rodriguez-Guerrios Repeats as GNAC Rookie of the Week
February 27, 2017
Men's Volleyball Powers Past Rivier
February 22, 2017
Men's Volleyball Picks up Third Straight Win
February 20, 2017
Rodriguez-Guerrios Named GNAC Rookie of the Week
February 18, 2017
Men's Volleyball Takes Two at Home Tri-Match
February 14, 2017
Men's Volleyball Falls to Springfield
February 7, 2017
Men's Volleyball Pulls Away From Regis
February 4, 2017
Reed Reaches Milestone in Men's Volleyball's Tri-Match Split
January 31, 2017
Men's Volleyball Suffers First Loss
January 25, 2017
Balanced Attack Lifts Men's Volleyball to Sweep of Endicott
January 23, 2017
Reed Tabbed as GNAC Offensive Player of the Week
January 21, 2017
Men's Volleyball Notches Two Wins Over Top 10 Teams
January 20, 2017
Men's Volleyball Opens Season With Two Wins
January 17, 2017
Men's Volleyball Picked to Repeat as GNAC Champions
January 4, 2017
Men's Volleyball Earns AVCA Preseason Ranking