MVB: Lasers Take #1 WIT to Four Sets

Boston, MA - The Lasell Lasers fell to the top team in the country, Wentworth, on Thursday night in four sets by a final score of 25-21, 23-25, 25-23, 25-21. With the loss the Lasers are now 5-6 on the season and 1-1 in GNAC play, while the Leopards are now 12-0 and 3-0. All six of the Lasers' losses this year have come against teams ranked in the top 15 of the country.

Wentworth was the first team to make a move, as they used a 4-0 run early in the first set to go up 11-6. But the Lasers responded by scoring seven of nine to take a 14-13 lead of their own. But the Leopards would grab momentum back, scoring six of the next eight to go up 19-16. The Lasers were unable to get closer than two the rest of the set, as the Leopards took it 25-21.

The second set was just as close, and the Leopards led 14-11 midway through it. But the Lasers called a timeout, and came out of the huddle a different team. They went on a 6-0 run that featured two Theo Zaharewicz kills. The Leopards would respond, and eventually tie the set up at 19, but a 3-1 run by the Lasers gave them the advantage, and another kill by Zaharewicz gave Lasell the set 25-23.

The third set was just as close, as the two teams traded the first 15 points back and forth, one for one. With things tied up at 12, the two teams would do the same thing, trading the next nine points. Tied at 19, the Leopards would score three straight points, grabbing the control, and they would take the set 25-23.

The fourth set saw Wentworth take an early lead, but the Lasers began to score in bunches, scoring eight of 11 points at one point to go up 18-16. With the Lasers up 20-18, and poised to send the match to a fifth set, Wentworth showed why they are the number one team in the country, going on a 6-0 run to grab the momentum, and take the set 25-21.

Jesus Garcia was the middle man as always for the Lasers, totaling 42 set assists, putting him at 2,931 for his career. On the receiving end of more than half of those were either Theo Zaharewicz (15 kills) or Jordan Shinaut (12 kills). Jan Baranowski also contributed with nine kills on 15 attempts. Defensively Baranowski and Zaharewicz contributed at the net, putting up four and three blocks respectively. Both Shinaut and Brenden Joyce had eight digs, one more than Ryan Fuller who had seven.

Up Next - The Lasers will have a quick turnaround, as they will host #6 Vassar on Friday at 7pm.