Score: Vassar College 3, Elmira College 0 (25-19, 26-24, 27-25)
Records: Elmira (11-16, 1-7 UVC), Vassar (12-10, 4-3 UVC)
Location: Speidel Gymnasium – Elmira, N.Y.  
                     
ELMIRA, N.Y. -- The Elmira College men's volleyball team turned in a gritty performance against Vassar College on Friday evening, but the Soaring Eagles were unable to best their United Volleyball Conference (UVC) foe, as the Brewers picked up a 3-0 victory over EC to open the Soaring Eagle Invite.

A back-and-forth affair from the opening serve, the two sides exchanged the lead on 15 occasions, while the score was tied a whopping 37 times through three sets. Vassar was able to make life difficult for EC at the net all evening, as the Brewers consistently got hands up in front of the Purple and Gold's attack. Vassar finished with 9.5 total blocks, led by Joe Hendrickson, who posted five block assists and one solo block.

Despite having to work for each and every point, the Soaring Eagles stuck with the Brewers throughout the match. EC found success at the service line with six aces and a .900 service percentage. Jeremy Best '19 led the way with four aces, while adding a match-high 22 assists as Elmira's floor general.

EC battled Vassar through the early goings of the opening set, with a kill from Ryan McDonough '19 pushing the Purple and Gold ahead at 13-12. Elmira's lead was short-lived however, as a 4-0 run by the Brewers put the visitors up for good. Vassar held on from there to take the first set, 25-19.

The second stanza saw more of the same, with neither side gaining an edge early. Late in the set, a kill from Landon Miller '20 and a miscue from the Brewers pushed the Soaring Eagles ahead, 23-21. Despite the two-point advantage, Vassar came roaring back with three-straight points to take a one-point lead. Miller halted the barrage with a huge kill off of a feed from Best, knotting the score at 24-24. EC couldn't capitalize on the momentum, as Vassar's Yoni Auerbach tallied two-straight kills to steal the set out from under the Purple and Gold.

The Soaring Eagles came out hungry in the third set as they looked to force a fourth set. Neither side gave an inch, as the Brewers eventually forged ahead 23-20 on the heels of back-to-back kills. Dan Symer '19 responded for the Purple and Gold, as the senior floored two consecutive kills to pull EC back within one. A huge block from Garrett Coleman '20 and Miller knotted the score at 24-24, but Vassar answered immediately. With the score tied at 25-25, the Brewers rattled off two consecutive kills to seal the victory.

News and Notes

• Best tied his career-high ace total with four this evening.
• Best is 35 assists shy of reaching 1,000 on the season.
• McDonough moved into sole possession of eighth place in kills in EC single-season history (347).
• McDonough became just the fourth player in program history to record 50 aces in a season.
• Branigan's 244 digs are fifth-most in EC single-season history.
• Miller has produced three blocks in three of EC's last four matches.
• Coleman led EC in kills with seven.
• Branigan paced Elmira in digs with nine.
• Miller's three blocks were a team high.

 
Up Next
The Soaring Eagles conclude their home schedule tomorrow afternoon when they host the final round of the Soaring Eagle Invitational. Elmira opens day two with a 1:00 p.m. UVC tilt against The Sage Colleges, before closing out the day with a 5:00 p.m. showdown with Wells College. EC will honor its graduating members of the Class of 2019 prior to tomorrow's 5:00 p.m. contest.