Men's Volleyball Steals Third Set Against No. 1 Springfield; Falls Short 3-1
The Lasell men’s volleyball team handed No. 1 Springfield College just its sixth set loss of the season, but ultimately fell in four sets to the nine-time national champions on Tuesday evening inside the Athletic Center.
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
25 | 25 | 19 | 25 | 3 |
|
|
13 | 16 | 25 | 14 | 1 |
Team Stats
(1) Springfield
| Game Statistics | (1) Springfield | (12) Lasell |
|---|---|---|
| Hitting % | .333 | .173 |
| Blocks | 8.0 | 5.0 |
| Digs | 40 | 28 |
| Aces | 4 | 2 |
The Lasers drop to 16-4 this season, having lost to The Pride just two games prior, while Springfield wins its 20th straight at 20-1 overall. Lasell moves up in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division III Top 15 poll at No. 12, while Springfield ranks at No. 1 for the eighth straight week.
Down 2-0 in set scores, the Lasers used a .481 hitting percentage to shock Springfield with 15 team kills and just two errors. Senior Patrick MacDonald (Floral Park, N.Y.) smashed one of his three kills in the set to end all hope of a Springfield sweep.
MacDonald registered six kills and a team-high eight digs, along with sophomore libero Jorda Aprea (Newington, Conn.). Leading the offense for the Lasers was senior Jeffrey Vautrin (Chicopee, Mass.) with 10 kills and a block solo, while Saunoa Afoa (Las Vegas, Nev.) added 11 points on nine kills and three blocks.
Freshman Janci Soto (Lawrence, Mass.) hit .455 on the evening, converting on 5-of-11 attack attempts, while setter Andy Henriquez dished out 33 assists.
The Lasers were first on the board in two of the four matches, including the third set thriller. Both teams traded points through the opening plays, before an over-powered serve from the Lasers knotted the set at 7-7. Lasell then scored the next 10 of 15 points on a surge from MacDonald, Vautrin, Davis, and Henriquez. Over the frame, Springfield maxed out on its timeouts at an effort to halt Lasell's momentum, the second coming after Henriquez delivered a stuff to Luis Vega's attack attempt. The Lasers continued to drive past the powerhouse Pride, sealing the 25-19 set victory on MacDonald's kill.
Lasell will host another crucial contest on Friday, March 10, when it welcomes the recently voted No. 9 Saints of Marymount University at 6:00 p.m.
