#10 Men’s Volleyball Handles #17 Lasell in GNAC Showdown

BOSTON, Mass. – In a Great Northeast Athletic Conference showdown between two nationally ranked teams, the No. 10-ranked Wentworth Institute of Technology men's volleyball team swept the No. 17-ranked Lasell Lasers in straight sets Thursday night, handing the Lasers their first conference loss of the season.

With the win, the Leopards improve to 13-2 and stay undefeated in GNAC play (5-0). Lasell falls to 12-4 overall and 3-1 in conference action.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• A finish by Nicolai Bell marked a 4-2 lead for the Leopards in the opening set before kills by Andrew Ahn and Ian Babcock continued the tight advantage to 12-8. Finishes by Babcock and Conner Foxwell stretched the lead to 15-9 before, after Lasell marked a 20-17 deficit, Wentworth rattled off a 5-2 run, featuring kills by Babcock and Mason Andrade, to grab a 25-19 set win.
• Two kills by Babcock sprouted a 4-1 lead for the Black & Gold to start the second set before the Lasers fought back to take an 8-6 lead. Lasell carried their two-point lead all the way to 14-12 before Wentworth later rallied to take an 18-16 lead. The two teams traded scores and one-point leads in the later going, with Lasell taking a 24-23 lead. However, a finish by Alem Dubcak helped the Leopards rally for a 26-24 set win.
• The Leopards began the third frame with a 12-4 run, featuring kills by Ahn, Dubcak, Babcock, and Andrade, before kills by Babcock and Bell continued the advantage to 18-9. Despite a battle back from the Lasers, two kills by Dubcak and another by Ahn helped the Black & Gold take a 25-17 set win.

SERIES NOTES:

• Winners of six of the last eight, Wentworth leads the all-time series, 35-21.

NEXT UP:

• The Leopards play at Merrimack on Saturday night.

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