Men's Volleyball Defeats Sage in Five Sets for Their Fifth-Straight Victory

ALBANY, N.Y. - The Elms College Men's Volleyball team traveled to Russell Sage College for a non-conference match on Wednesday evening.

BASICS
Score: Elms College 3 (23, 25, 28, 14, 15) | Russell Sage College 2 (15, 22, 26, 25, 10)
Records: Blazers 10-2, 0-0 (GNAC) | Gators 2-10, 0-0 (NEVC)

HOW IT HAPPENED

The first set would see Sage score first, but Elms would collect three-straight points, with junior John Bellafronte (Enfield, Conn.) and first year Joe Culhane (Agawam, Mass.) record kills. As the set would continue, Culhane and first year Juan Jones (Springfield, Mass.) would each add two kills, but the Gators would rally and bring themselves within a point of the Blazers lead. Elms would continue their efforts to keep their lead, with a pair of kills by junior Nick Uschmann (Agawam, Mass.), but Sage would take the lead and win the set 25-23.

The second set would start with the Gators scoring a three-point lead, but the Blazers would take the lead after three combined kills from Jones and Culhane. The two sides would then engage in another battle for the lead, but Elms would gain the advantage when Culhane and Jones would add three more kills, senior David Tompkins (Groton, Conn.) would make a service ace, and senior Rafa Artero (Madrid, Spain) would record his first kill of the evening. As Sage would look to get themselves back into the set, the Blazers would keep the momentum in their favor when Uschmann added two kills, until the Gators would score five-straight points to take away the lead. But when Sage looked to put away Elms for their second set victory, the Blazers would rally following a block by Artero and first year David Dzhenzherukha (Agawam, Mass.), two kills by Bellafronte, and a service ace from Dzhenzherukha to win the set 25-22.

The third set would begin with the Gators earning another early four-point lead, Uschmann and Culhane would both add kills that would start a rally for Elms, with kills by Uschmann and Bellafronte. The two non-conference foes would continue to battle for the lead throughout the set, with Bellafronte adding three kills, a second service ace from Dzhenzherukha, four kills by Uschmann, Culhane and Jones making a combined three kills, and a block by Artero and Bellafronte, to win the set 28-26 for their second set.

The fourth set would once again see Sage earn the early lead, but the Blazers would try to gain a lead capitalizing on errors and a pair of kills from Bellafronte. Unfortunately, the Gators would extend their lead by four points. Elms would continue to create opportunities for themselves with five combined kills by Dzhenzherukha, Uschmann, and Jones, along with a Artero-Uschmann block and a block by Jones and sophomore Hunter Ladouceur (Wilbraham, Mass.). Unfortunately, Sage would win the fourth set 25-14, tying the match two sets each and to force a fifth and final set.

The fifth and final set would have the Blazers earn the first point, when Bellafronte recorded a kill, the Gators would take the lead, but Elms would keep themselves within arms distance tying the set 4-4. As the set would continue, the Blazers would keep themselves ahead, with the assistance of four combined kills by Bellafronte, Jones, and Uschmann, until the Elms score three-straight kills from Bellafronte and Uschmann to win the set 15-10 and defeat Sage.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Dzhenzherukha - 26 assists, four digs, two service aces, a kill, and a block assist.

• Ladouceur - 18 assists, six digs, and a block assist.

• Uschmann - 16 kills, three digs, and a block assist.

• Bellafronte - 15 kills, five digs, a block assist, and an assist.

• Bousquet - 15 digs and four assists.

• Jones - ten kills, two digs, and a block assist.

• Culhane - nine digs, eight kills, and an assist.

• Artero - three block assists, two digs and a kill.

• Tompkins - a service ace and a dig.

UP NEXT: The Elms Men's Volleyball team will host King's College, Penn. for a non-conference match on Friday, February 13th at 6 pm at Picknelly Arena.

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