Men’s Volleyball Falls in Four Sets at Division I Sacred Heart
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Eastern Nazarene
9-10,1-3 NECC
|
17 | 25 | 20 | 18 | 1 |
|
Sacred Heart
7-11,1-9 EIVA
|
25 | 23 | 25 | 25 | 3 |
FAIRFIELD, Conn.- The Eastern Nazarene College men's volleyball team absorbed a 3-1 loss at NCAA Division I Sacred Heart Tuesday evening.
The Lions progress to 10-10 on the season with the setback while the Pioneers improve to 7-11 overall.
Alejandro Garcia Fernandez (San Juan, Puerto Rico) notched a match-best 21 kills and collected 11 digs. Matthew Mucha (Fresh Meadows, N.Y.) and Delfy Soler (Lawrence, Mass.) each chipped in with four kills on the night. Aaron Huang (Quincy, Mass.) finished with 25 assists while Fernando Paredes (Passaic, N.J.) posted a team-high 12 digs.
The home side posted a 25-17 win in the opening set to claim a 1-0 lead.
Eastern Nazarene clawed back to capture the second frame 25-23 to level the match at 1-1.
Sacred Heart prevailed 25-20 in the third to regain a one-set advantage, 2-1.
The Pioneers locked up the victory with a 25-18 decision in the fourth frame.
Mark Berry paced the hosts with 15 kills while Patrick Mucherino and Carlos Santa Cruz both tallied eight kills. Teddy Payne recorded 20 assists and Tyler Kwinta added 19 assists.
Looking ahead, Eastern Nazarene will host Northern Vermont-Johnson in an NECC match before heading to No. 1 Springfield for a tri-match with SUNY Poly March 26.
Team Stats
Sacred Heart
| Game Statistics | Eastern Nazarene | Sacred Heart |
|---|---|---|
| Hitting % | .090 | .254 |
| Blocks | 4.0 | 14.5 |
| Digs | 37 | 33 |
| Aces | 2 | 10 |
