Men’s Volleyball Knocks Off Nichols in Five-Set Battle

DUDLEY, Mass.- The Eastern Nazarene College men's volleyball team outlasted Nichols to claim a 3-2 victory Saturday afternoon.

The Lions climb to 2-0 on the year and 2-0 in the New England Collegiate Conference with the win. The Bison fall to 0-2 overall and 0-2 in league competition with the setback.

Alejandro Garcia Fernandez (San Juan, Puerto Rico) paced the squad with 24 kills while adding six digs and three aces. Tim Eddings (Endicott, N.Y.) notched a double-double with 18 digs and 14 kills to go with two aces. Leonel Caceres (Newington, Conn.) posted his first collegiate double-double with 15 digs and 13 assists while adding eight kills on the day. Christopher Gil (Lawrence, Mass.) collected 31 assists while Fernando Paredes (Passaic, N.J.) recorded 12 digs.

The visitors claimed the first set 28-26 to take a 1-0 lead before grabbing the second set 28-26 to double its advantage to 2-0.

The home side bounced back to prevail 25-20 in the third and 25-22 in the fourth to force a winner-take-all fifth frame.

Eastern Nazarene responded with a 15-8 decision in the fifth set to lock up its second win of the year.

Colin Hunter tallied 14 kills and 10 digs for Nichols while Tanner Soracco chipped in with 12 kills and Jake Harasyko notched a double-double with 13 digs and 10 kills.

Up next, Eastern Nazarene heads to Lasell for a midweek doubleheader March 17.