Men’s Volleyball Splits Saturday Tri-Match

BOSTON – Regis College started its final stretch of regular season conference matches with a 3-1 victory over host Emmanuel College, but the Pride later lost to Elms College, 3-0, during a Great Northeast Athletic Conference men's volleyball tri-match Saturday at Andy Yosinoff Court.

REGIS 3, EMMANUEL 1 (25-22, 28-30, 25-22, 25-22)

Joseph Perez (Miami, Fla.) notched his second double-double of the season, leading the Pride with 14 kills and 13 digs, while Matt Ferrara (Sandown, N.H.) also collected 14 kills along with seven digs. Josh Nolen (Falls Church, Va.) hit .588 in the match as he earned 13 kills and six total blocks, Brendan Lam (Rockville, Md.) distributed 35 assists, and Marcello Cappuccio (Scotch Plains, N.J.) broke the Regis single-season digs record as he ended up with 11 digs.

Emmanuel (12-12, 5-7 GNAC) scored five straight points to take a 7-2 lead in the first set before Regis bounced back with four unanswered points, including consecutive service aces by Lam, to close to within one at 9-8. Down 15-12, the Pride scored five of the next six points to pull ahead, 17-16. With the score tied 22-22 after a kill by Emmanuel's Thor Yingling, Nolen notched three straight kills to clinch the opening set for the Pride.

The second set went back and forth before Regis put together a 7-1 scoring run, led by Nolen with two kills and a block assist, to establish a 15-11 advantage. Down 23-20, the Saints battled back, scoring three straight points and eventually stopping the Pride from clinching the set twice. After a kill by Ferrara tied the set at 28-28, Emmanuel received consecutive kills from Jyles Amirault to pull out the second set and tie the match.

Regis opened a 6-2 lead to start the third set and would maintain the advantage the rest of the way. Down 23-17, the Saints pulled to within one with five straight points, including a kill by Amirault and a solo block by Roman Fabrizio. The Pride bounced back, winning the third set on a kill by Nolen and a solo block by Lam.

Nolen led the Pride with three total blocks and a kill as they took a 9-2 lead in the fourth set. Robert Burch (Coxsackie, N.Y.) picked up two total blocks as Regis increased its advantage to 15-4. Emmanuel battled back with a 9-1 scoring run, led by three kills from Amirault, to close to within two at 22-20. After a block by Burch and Ferrara brought about match point for the Pride, the Saints extended the set on kills by Daniel Keyes and Amirault before Burch closed out the set and the match with a kill.

Amirault led all players with 21 kills, plus he picked up three service aces and eight digs, while Maximilian Olsen contributed nine kills. Fabrizio finished with 40 assists, three service aces, and nine digs, and Leonard Kim also ended up with nine digs during the contest.

ELMS 3, REGIS 0 (25-22, 27-25, 25-19)

Nolen led the Pride with a career-high 18 kills as he hit .600 in the match, plus he earned four total blocks, while Perez and Ferrara earned nine kills apiece. The setting duties were split between Lam with 16 assists and Tyrell Bucasas (Waialua, Hawaii) with 15 assists, and Cappuccio paced the backline with nine defensive digs to improve his single-season school record total to 205 digs.

Elms (11-13, 7-6 GNAC) took control of the opening set with a 6-1 scoring run, led by Carlos Mercado with a service ace and a kill. Regis went on a 7-1 scoring run, led by Nolen with three total blocks and two kills, to pull ahead, 14-13, but the Blazers responded with a 7-2 scoring stretch, including consecutive kills from both Moose Perry and Pedro De Jesus. Elms would clinch the first set on a kill by Perry and a service ace from Luis Martinez.

The second set went back and forth with 16 ties and nine lead changes. After a kill by Mercado brought about the first set point for Elms, Brendan Carroll (Natick, Mass.) notched a solo block and the Blazers committed another attack error to give the Pride a chance to win the set. However, Elms rattled off three straight points, starting with a kill by Mercado, to pull out the second set and take a 2-0 match lead.

Two kills and a block assist by Nolen put the Pride on top early in the third set, 6-4, but the Blazers would gain the momentum thanks to a 7-2 scoring run, led by Mercado and Benjamin Laxton with two kills apiece. Regis came within three points the rest of the set, with Elms finishing off the set and the match with a kill by Mercado and a Pride attack error.

Mercado notched a double-double with 18 kills and 11 digs, while De Jesus finished with 13 kills and six digs. Antonio Delgado Rolon dished out 40 assists, Martinez contributed eight kills, two service aces, and 10 digs, and Collin Liedke added 11 defensive digs to the winning effort.

Regis College (12-12, 7-5 GNAC) closes out the regular season with four home matches, starting Tuesday, March 29, with a rematch against Emmanuel College beginning at 6 p.m.