Box Score THE BASICS
Score: Emerson 3, Mount Ida 0 (25-10, 25-12, 25-17)
Records: Emerson Lions (8-8, 2-4 GNAC); Mount Ida Mustangs (10-12, 1-6 GNAC)
Location: Newton, Mass. (MIC Athletic Center)
Date: March 23, 2017
The Lead: Sophomore Mark Piorkowski (Montclair, N.H.) put up 11 kills and freshman Diego Garcia (Honolulu, Hi.) registered 10 to help set up the Emerson men's volleyball team to a 3-0 straight sweep of GNAC (Greater Northeast Atlantic Conference) foe, Mount Ida, on Thursday night for its second consecutive win.
HOW IT HAPPENED
SET ONE
- Three ties occurred in the opening of the first set before Emerson broke the 4-all tie with a string of six points to claim the 8-4 lead that was capped off by an attack error.
- Mount Ida got a pair of points back to bring the score to 8-6 until Emerson responded with the next five points to extend their lead to eight at 15-7 on a kill from sophomore Win Kittivatcharapong (Bangkok, Thailand).
- After the Lions bumped their advantage into double digits at 20-10, they tacked on the final five points to take the first set, 25-10.
SET TWO
- Mount Ida maintained within one point of Emerson at 6-5 until a swing by Garcia capped off a 6-0 push by the Lions to pull ahead, 12-5.
- The Mustangs added two more points on a kill by Nelson Leadbetter and an attack error to come within five of the Lions at 12-7, but that is the closest they would come.
- With Mount Ida within five, Emerson registered the next five of six points to push their advantage to 17-8 that was capped off by a kill from Piorkowski.
- After a kill by Nate Gyampo put Mount Ida within eight at 19-11, the Mustangs were only able to register one more points as Emerson wrapped up their 25-12 win on a Kittivatcharapong kill.
SET THREE
- Three Mount Ida attack errors and kills from Piorkowski and Kittivatcharapong helped set up Emerson's first five points.
- Mount Ida quickly responded with the next five of six points to cut Emerson's lead margin down to one at 6-5 on a Gyampo kill.
- Emerson held a four-point advantage at 9-5 over Mount Ida before the Mustangs pulled within two at 9-7 on a pair of attack errors.
- Two the closest Mount Ida would come as Emerson bumped their lead into double digits at 17-7 after a pair of kills from Garcia.
- Emerson held Mount Ida to within no more than eight points through the final portion of the of third frame despite the the Mustangs putting two late points on the board to bring the score to 24-17.
- The Lions took the 25-17 win on a kill by Garcia to wrap up the straight set sweep.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
- Along with his team-best 11 kills and six digs , Piorkowski and Kittivatcharapong each served three aces.
- Junior Nick Rusk (Fort Lauderdale, Fl.) recorded a match-best 32 assists, junior Stig Regan (Kailuha, Hi.) powered the defense with eight block assists.
- Brett Southworth led Mount Ida with five kills, while Nathan Sprengle registered 10 assists, Peter Griffenkranz served a trio of aces.
- Nelson Leadbetter had a team-best six digs and Griffenkranz, Carter Amadon and Gyampo each recorded one block.
UP NEXT
- Emerson return home on Saturday, March 25 to take on Emmanuel (Mass.) in a GNAC tilt at 12:00 p.m.
- Mount Ida head into a GNAC tri-match on Saturday, March 25 against Wentworth and Johnson & Wales with the first match set to begin at 10:00 a.m.
STAY LIVE WITH THE LIONS
