#3 Men's Volleyball's Historic Season Ends in Five-Set Thriller Against #8 Vassar

BOSTON, Mass. – In a five-set thriller in Tansey Gym Saturday night, the third-ranked Wentworth Institute of Technology men's volleyball team fell in a historic back-and-forth battle with the No. 8-ranked Vassar Brewers, ending their run in the NCAA Division III Men's Volleyball Tournament.

With the loss, Wentworth caps their most successful season in program history with a 31-2 record while Vassar moves to the Final Four with a 25-7 mark.

Senior Jacob Waga (East Northport, N.Y.) left it all out on the court, finishing a career-high 25 kills while junior Josh Milke (Eastampton, N.J.) tied his career-high in assists with 57.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Wentworth set out to a 7-4 lead in the opening set with a finish by Waga before a kill by senior Jacob LaBouliere (Pipersville, Pa.) marked a 13-7 score. Another Waga kill continued the lead to 17-13 before the Brewers later clawed back to a 19-18 deficit. Holding a 24-21 lead with help of a kill by Waga, Vassar rattled off three service aces en route to rallying for a 27-25 set win.
• A kill by sophomore Nicolai Bell (Moraga, Calif.) helped the Leopards out to an 8-5 lead before kills by Waga and graduate student Brandon Dunz (Lake View, N.Y.) continued the lead to 15-9. Vassar battled back, taking a 20-19 lead, before a Dunz killed tied the set at 20-all. Wentworth won the back-and-forth endgame, taking a 28-26 set with help on kills from Waga and LaBouliere.
• The two teams swapped scores all the way through the third set, with the Leopards taking a 15-14 edge on a Dunz kill. After a Bell finish tied the set at 19 aside, Vassar capitalized with six of the next seven points to grab a 25-20 set win.
• A service ace and kill by LaBouliere helped Wentworth out to a 3-0 lead in the fourth set before a kill by Waga marked a 10-5 lead. A kill by LaBouliere carried the lead to 16-13 before two kills apiece for Waga and Bell helped the Leopards surge to a 25-19 set win, forcing a pivotal fifth set.
• After falling behind early, a service ace by junior Ryan Roller (West Hartford, Conn.) gave Wentworth an 8-5 lead in the fifth before two kills and a service ace by LaBouliere marked a 12-9 lead. Vassar fought back, holding a one-point lead that would be match by Wentworth to a 16-16 score. However, one final service ace clinched the Brewers an 18-16 set win.

SERIES NOTES:

• The Leopards have won two of the last three meetings.
  

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