WESTON, Mass. -  Regis College and Elms College went the distance before the Pride prevailed, 3-2, but the Pride were able to bounce back and sweep SUNY Poly, 3-0, Friday afternoon in a non-conference men's collegiate volleyball tri-match at Higgins Court.

Regis 3, Elms 2: (25-19, 26-28, 25-19, 23-25, 15-12)

Regis scored the first point of the match, but both teams went back and forth, tying at 4. Regis then went on a 6-0 run to open a 10-4 lead. Elms responded with a 9-6 run to pull within three, but the Pride answered with five more points from attack errors and service aces to lead 21-13. Regis finished strong, securing the first set 25-19, with Jalen Watt (South Hadley, Mass.) contributing two kills to close it out.

Elms took the lead early in the second set, capitalizing on service errors from Regis. The Pride battled back to tie the set at 17, but the Blazers responded with a 4-0 run to take a 21-17 lead. Regis rallied again with kills from Andrew Matzouranis (North Andover, Mass.), Santiago Garcia (Guaynabo, P.R.), and Watt bringing the score to 23-22. The teams exchanged points before Elms pulled away, winning the set 28-26 with key kills from Rafa Artero and John Bellafronte.

Regis jumped to a 12-5 lead in the third set, thanks to kills from Francesco Buanne (Caserta, Italy), Adam Bonica (Quincy, Mass.), and Eddie Djatcha (Lowell, Mass.). Elms mounted a 10-5 run to narrow the gap, but Regis regained control with several kills, finishing the set 25-19.

The fourth set was a back-and-forth battle with both teams trading leads. Elms eventually pulled ahead 8-5, but Regis responded with a rally of their own. Elms then regained momentum, with kills from Bellafronte, a service ace, and three blocks assisted by Marin Valentin and Uschmann. Kills from Valentin, Uschmann, and a final block by Artero and Ladouceur helped Elms win the set 25-23, tying the match at 2-2 and sending it to a deciding fifth set.

In the fifth set, Elms jumped to a quick 4-0 lead, aided by back-to-back service aces and a kill. Regis responded, finding gaps in the Blazers' defense, but Elms held onto their lead with strong offensive plays. The Pride rallied late, scoring four straight points to win the match 15-12, taking the season opener.

Brandon Valdes (Miami, Fl.) and Buanne led the Pride with 11 kills apiece, followed by Matzouranis with 10. Valdes notched his first double-double of the season adding 13 digs to his 11 kills. Garcia coined 13 digs and two kills in his collegiate debut.

SUNY Poly 3, Regis 0: (25-22, 25-20, 25-22)

In an engaging men's volleyball match held at Higgins Court in Weston, MA, on January 17, 2025, SUNY Poly emerged victorious against Regis College (MA) with a straight-set win of 3-0. The match unfolded in three closely contested sets, with scores of 25-22, 25-20, and 25-22 in favor of SUNY Poly, bringing their season record to 3-3, while Regis fell to 1-1.

The first set was characterized by intense rallies and competitive play from both teams. SUNY Poly's offensive efforts, led by Peter Gottler and Adam Brawn, who collectively secured 23 kills throughout the match, were pivotal for the Wildcats. Despite Regis's earnest attempts to narrow the score gap, SUNY Poly maintained their lead, clinching the first set at 25-22.

In the second set, SUNY Poly capitalized on Regis's errors. Buanne and Valdes attempted to keep Regis in the match with solid offensive contributions leading to a close finish with SUNY Poly taking the lead with the help of Joshua Slater's 30 assists to clinch the second set at 25-20.
The third set mirrored the earlier sets in its competitiveness. Watt led the Pride's offensive efforts with 10 kills, yet it wasn't enough to deter SUNY Poly. The Wildcats' balanced attack and effective blocking, with contributions from Andrew Baaki and Kaiden Ranger, stunted Regis's comeback attempts. SUNY Poly concluded the set at 25-22, securing their 3-0 victory.

Watt led the Pride with 10 kills in the second match while Jay Bodhidatta (Bangkok, Thailand.) earned 18 digs.