#9 Men’s Volleyball Splits Regular Season Finale, Clinches Top Spot in GNAC

BOSTON, Mass. – In their final two conference matches of the season, the No. 9-ranked Wentworth Institute of Technology men's volleyball team swept Elms before falling to the Lasell Lasers in a three-set battle. With the win against the Blazers, the Leopards clinched the top-seed in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference, leading to the 11^th time while members of the GNAC in which a playoff date will take place in Tansey Gym.

With the split, the Black & Gold conclude the regular season with an overall mark of 24-6 (13-1 GNAC).

MATCH ONE: #9 WENTWORTH 3, ELMS 0

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• The two teams swapped scores to begin the opening set with the Leopards claiming a 9-6 lead on back-to-back kills by Jeremy Macek. After the Blazers clawed back at 10-8, the Black & Gold rattled off an 11-1 run, featuring two finishes by Luke McQuaid, to take a 21-9 advantage. Putaways by Macek and Luke Sun helped Wentworth clinch a 25-12 set win.
• The Leopards shot off a 16-5 run in the second set including two kills aside for McQuaid and Ryan Roller. Two aces by Eli Turner and a finish by McQuaid helped carry the advantage to 22-9 before a slew of errors helped mark a 25-13 set win for Wentworth.
• Two kills by McQuaid pushed Wentworth out to a 5-2 lead in the third set before another pair alongside a pair of aces by Turner marked a 12-6 lead later on. Elms clawed back, closing the gap at respective 14-12 and 17-15 scores, but a 5-1 run in the late going that featured five kills by Turner helped the Black & Gold claim a 25-17 set win.

SERIES NOTES:

• Wentworth leads the all-time series, 22-4.

MATCH TWO: LASELL 3, #9 WENTWORTH 0

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• After two kills by Gabe Tucker helped Wentworth to a 5-3 lead in the first set, Lasell rallied to grab a 9-5 lead. The Lasers carried the advantage to 16-11 before a kill by Mason Andrade closed the gap at 16-13. Later on, two kills by Sam Etter and another by Matthew Zegowitz marked a 20-18 deficit for the Leopards before Lasell eventually held on for a 25-22 set win.
• The Lasers pulled out to an 8-4 lead in the second set before a kill by Etter cut the deficit later on at 10-8. A kill by Ian Babcock helped keep the deficit at two at a 16-14 score before Lasell separated themselves to a 21-16 lead on a 5-2 run. The Lasers would claim the later going's battle, taking a 25-19 win.
• A finish by Tucker marked a 3-3 draw in the third set before Lasell pulled away with another advantage, this time at 9-5 and 10-6 scores. Kills by Conner Foxwell and Benjamin Moughon helped cut the deficit later on at 14-12 before a 9-2 run, featuring two kills aside for Moughon and Etter, helped the Leopards take hold of a 21-16 lead. Lasell closed the gap to a one-point deficit at 22-21 before a kill by Foxwell marked a 24-21 lead. From there, Lasell knotted the score at 24-all before another Foxwell kill marked a one-point edge. The Lasers finished the set with three straight points, rallying for a 27-25 win.

SERIES NOTES:

• The Black & Gold lead the all-time series, 35-22.

NEXT UP:

• As the top seed, the Leopards will host a semifinal matchup of the GNAC Tournament on Thursday night.

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