CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Regis College nearly came back from an 11-6 deficit in the fifth and deciding set, but came up just short as the Pride fell to Lesley University, 3-2, on Thursday night in New England Collegiate Conference play Thursday night. Regis (1-13, 0-8 NECC) senior Andrew Carroll (Natick, Mass.) threw down a match-best 18 kills to go along with a team-high 15 digs, and Drew Wilder (Brockton, Mass.) posted 14 kills along with seven digs.
For Regis, freshman David Amicangioli (Belmont, Mass.) handed out 36 assists.
Lynx (2-12, 2-6 NECC) senior Christian Domingo (Los Angeles, Calif.) tallied a match-best 19 digs to go along with a team-high 17 kills, and freshman Brian Hicks (Lowell, Mass.) totaled 11 kills and 12 digs. Junior Max Hoevenaar (Orlando, Fla.) posted his own double-double of 10 kills and 10 digs, leading all players with three solo blocks and four block assists, including a solo block on match point. Lesley first-year Nick Tuccinardi came off the bench for a career-high nine digs.
Lesley setter Melvin Morales (Chelsea, Mass.) totaled a career-high 38 set assists in fueling the team's .234 hitting performance, the Lynx second-best average of 2012. Regis hit only .013 as a team, including -.065 in the fourth and -.077 in the deciding set, when the team's hitters committed two late errors at the net.
After a rough start, Lesley used runs of 6-0 and 7-2 to open up a 22-15 lead in the first set, but from that point on, a gutty Pride club used a 10-1 run featuring a service ace and two kills from Carroll to close out a 25-23 Game 1 win.
The Lynx busted open the second set with an 11-3 run marked by three Domingo kills to take a 19-9 lead, this time holding on behind a pair of Hicks kills in the final points. As a team, Lesley hit an even .500 for the second, completing 12 error-free kills on 24 attempts.
Like it did in the opener, the Pride would come back to steal a 25-23 win after Lesley gave away another late lead. A Hoevenaar kill sent the Lynx on top 19-15, the largest lead either team saw throughout the set. With senior Si Pan Leong (Boston, Mass.) serving, Regis answered with a 5-0 run to go up 21-19. Tied at 22-22 out of a Scott Wright timeout, the Pride executed four straight kills without an error and Lesley mustered only one Domingo kills as Regis closed out its 25-23 win on the strength of a team-best .135 hitting percentage.
The Lynx, in turn, responded to their Game 3 setback as the team did after letting the opener slip away, getting out to an early lead and turning it into a one-sided victory. Back-to-back Hoevenaar kills put Lesley in front 5-1, and a 7-2 run capped by a Hicks ace found the Lynx again ahead 19-9 as the home team cruised to a 25-12 beating.
The momentum carried over to the fifth set, at least initially. Leading 7-6, four straight Lynx kills, three from Domingo, sent Lesley up 11-6. Four Lynx errors and four Pride kills later, the visitors earned match point leading 14-12. A Carroll attack error brought the Lynx a point closer, and Hoevenaar and Hicks took advantage. The senior's second solo block of the night tied the set at 14-14, Hicks sent home his 11th kills to put Lesley on top 15-14, and Hoevenaar shut the door with another solo block on Carroll to complete the 16-14 win.
The Lynx return to the court at Elms on Saturday, when Regis travels to Newbury.
Release courtesy of Lesley University Sports Information