Cambridge, MA -- The No.11 Elmira College men's volleyball team (17-9, 3-2 UVC) defeated host No. 13 Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 3-0, before falling to No. 2 Stevens Institute of Technology 3-1 in the UVC Tri-Match today.  Erik Griffin '16 and Mike Ellison '16 led the Soaring Eagles today with two-match totals of 37 and 28 kills, respectively.

Match One Recap
Elmira 3, MIT 0 – 25-19, 25-23, 25-16

The Purple and Gold kicked off the first set with a 10-6 run over the Engineers of MIT. The Engineers then responded with the match's next two points to trail by just two, 10-8. Each team went back-and-forth until the EC men found themselves up 22-18. The Soaring Eagles then went on a 4-1 run to close the first set, 25-19, and take a 1-0 set lead.

The Engineers controlled the first half of the second set as MIT took an early 13-8 lead. EC regrouped and went on a 6-1 run to tie the game up at 14 apiece. Both teams went back-and-forth until the set was deadlocked at 22. The Purple and Gold then went on a 3-1 run to win the second set 25-23 and take a 2-0 set lead.

The first half of the third set was close until the set was tied at 13-13. However, EC then took control with a 12-3 run to win the third set, 25-16, and the match, 3-0.

Griffin and Ellison led on offense with 20 and 13 kills, respectively. Carlos Faccio '16 set up the attack with 42 assists while Rob Shade '15 led on the defensive end of the court with seven digs.

Match Two Recap
Elmira 1, Stevens 3 – 23-25, 25-23, 16-25, 15-25

Both teams traded points at the beginning of the first set until the game was tied up at 7-7. The Purple and Gold then went on 9-5 run to take a 16-12 lead. The Ducks battled back and even tied the game up at 20-20. After going back-and-forth for a few points each, both teams found themselves tied up at 23-23, Stevens would end the set with two straight points to win, 25-23.

The second set was closer than the first set as neither team could build a lead greater than three points. Once again the set would be tied up at 23-23, however, this time it would be the EC men that would score two points in a row to win the set 25-23 and tie the sets up at 1-1.

The Ducks started the third set with a quick 12-4 lead and continued to have the upper edge in the set as Stevens would go on to win the set, 25-16, and take a 2-0 set lead. The Ducks' momentum would carry over to the fourth set as Stevens would end up taking the set 25-15, and the game, 3-1.

Griffin and Ellison led on the offensive end, again, in the second match of the day with 17 and 15 kills, respectively. Faccio registered 44 assists and five digs while Shade and Griffin led defensively with 13 and 10 digs, respectively.

The Purple and Gold will compete next in the Nazareth College Invitational on March 20th and 21st.