Men's Volleyball Loses a Hard Fought Battle with No. 19 MIT at Home

CHICOPEE, Mass. - The Elms College Men's Volleyball team hosted No. 19 Massachusetts Institute of Technology for a non-conference match on Friday evening at Picknelly Arena.

BASICS
Score: Elms College 0 (19, 20, 16) | No. 19 Massachusetts Institute of Technology 3 (25, 25, 25)
Records: Blazers 11-4, 0-0 (GNAC) | Engineers 11-2, 1-0 (UVC)

HOW IT HAPPENED

The first set would begin the two non-conference opponents trading offensive possession early, with Elms capitalizing on kills by first year Joe Culhane (Agawam, Mass.) and junior John Bellafronte (Enfield, Conn.). MIT would earn the first lead of the set, but the Blazers would quickly tie the set, 5-5, with the help from two Bellafronte kills and a block by Bellafronte and sophomore Hunter Ladouceur (Wilbraham, Mass.). As the set would continue, the Engineers would control the set, but Elms would see additional kills by first year Juan Jones (Springfield, Mass.), Culhane, junior Nick Uschmann (Agawam, Mass.), along with service aces from Uschmann and Ladouceur. Unfortunately, MIT would take the opening set 25-19.

The second set would see a similar start as the previous set, with the two intrastate foes exchanging blows in the opening moments, with the Blazers benefiting from kills by senior Rafa Artero (Madrid, Spain), Bellafronte, Uschmann, and Jones, along with a Bellafronte service ace. Then as the set would continue, following an error by the Engineers, Culhane would add a kill and a block by Artero and Uschmann to take the first lead for Elms of the evening. The two teams would return to the battle for the lead, after MIT recorded five points and would regain the lead. As the set would near its end, Bellafronte, Ladouceur, and Uschmann would each make a kill, a block by Artero and Ladouceur, and a service ace from first year John Centeno Pagan (Manatí, P.R.). But the Engineers would take the second set 25-20.

The third and final set would start with MIT recording the first point, but the Blazers would take the early lead, with the assistance of a kill by Uschmann, back-to-back blocks from Artero and Uschmann, and a Bellafronte-kill. Unfortunately, the Engineers would regain the momentum, but as the set would continue, Culhane made three kills, Jones would record two kills, and Uschmann and Bellafronte each added a kill. Unfortunately, MIT would defeat Elms 25-16 in the third set and would sweep the Blazers.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Ladouceur - 21 assists, four digs, two block assists, a kill, and a service ace.

• Bousquet - 12 digs and an assist.

• Bellafronte - eight kills, four digs, a service ace, and a block assist.

• Culhane - seven kills and three digs.

• Uschmann - five kills, five digs, two block assists, and a service ace.

• Jones - five kills, a block assist, and an assist.

• Lozado - five digs and an assist.

• Artero - four blocks, two digs, and a kill.

• Centeno Pagan - service ace.

UP NEXT: The Elms Men's Volleyball team will travel to Annadale-on-Hudson, N.Y. for a non-conference match on Wednesday, February 25th against Bard College at 6 pm.

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