Lasers Defeat Pride in Four Sets

WESTON, Mass. – Pride Men's Volleyball hosted the Lasers from Lasell University at Higgins Court this evening for a Great Northeast Atlantic Conference (GNAC) matchup, where the visitors emerged victorious with a 3-1 win. The defeat dropped the Pride to 11-7 overall and 1-4 in GNAC play.

Offensively, Jalen Watt (South Hadley, Mass.) led the Pride with 10 kills, while Adam Bonica (Quincy, Mass.) and John Nangle (Lowell, Mass.) contributed six and five kills, respectively. Nangle also recorded five digs. Jay Bodhidatta (Bangkok, Thailand) anchored the defense with a team-high 14 digs.

For the Lasers, Benjamin Walinjom  and Theo Zaharewicz added 11 kills apiece with Zaharewicz contributing nine digs. Trystan Maloney tallied a game-high 36 assists, and Cole Esterline contributed five blocks to the Lasers' win.

How it Happened:

• The Pride controlled the opening set, seizing an early lead and building their largest margin of six points after a Lasers' attack error made it 22-16. Despite a late surge from the Lasers, who pulled within one, another attack error sealed the set for the Pride, 25-23.
• In the second set, the Lasers fired off eight kills to build a commanding 15-5 lead. The Pride attempted to respond, capitalizing on three Laser errors to close the gap to seven, but it wasn't enough as Lasell took the set 25-13, leveling the match at 1-1.
• Watt's kill brought the Pride within one in the third set (7-6), but the Lasers soon doubled up the Pride, taking the 14-7 lead. A service error allowed the Pride to get back within five, but the Lasers held on and closed out the set 25-16.
• The Pride jumped out to an early lead in the fourth set, with Watt finishing off an assist from Tyrell Bucasas (Waialua, Hawaii) to put Regis up 6-2 before Lasell registered five unanswered points, taking their first lead of the set at 13-9. Watt halted their momentum with another kill, but the Pride could never get closer than four points. A decisive kill from Esterline sealed the set 25-18 and the match for the Lasers.

Inside the Numbers:

• Bucasas' 26-assist performance marks the senior's eleventh outing with 20 or more assists this season.
• Watt has now recorded double-digit kills in each of his last three appearances for the Pride.

Up Next:

The Pride will stay at home as they host Dean College at Higgins Court this Thursday, March 6th, with a 7 p.m. start.