THE BASICS 

Score: Eastern Nazarene 3, Emerson 0 (19-25, 20-25, 23-25)

Records: Emerson Lions (1-2, 0-1 GNAC) ; Eastern Nazarene Lions (2-6)

Location: Boston, Mass. (Brown & Plofker Gym)

Date: February 3, 2022

The Lead: It was sophomore Neiko Pittman who led the Emerson men's volleyball team with nine kills and freshman Bayden Slavik with 14 assists, but the Lions were upended in non-conference action, 3-0, by Eastern Nazarene on Thursday night. 

INSIDE THE NUMBERS 

EMERSON 

Pittman: nine kills & four blocks
Slavik: 14 assists
Josh Elliot: two aces
Jack Meissner & Bryson Beck: five digs

EASTERN NAZARENE 

Alejandro Garcia Fernande: 14 kills & four blocks
Delfy Soler: 10 kills & three aces
Aaron Huang: 27 assists
Fernando Paredes: seven digs

HOW IT HAPPENED 

SET ONE 

• After Emerson found themselves down five at 6-1 to start off the first, the Lions rattled off the set's next nine of 11 points to lock the score take its first lead, 11-10, on an Eastern Nazarene attack error. 
• Emerson was able to maintain a steady lead of set least two, but with the 19-18 edge, Eastern Nazarene fired back and answered with the set's final seven points as the hosts fell 25-19. 

SET TWO 

• Eastern Nazarene held a two points edge over Emerson at 6-4 before the Purple & Gold leveled the score three times, the last coming at 8-all on a Pittman swing. 
• Down one, the hosts surrendered a 8-1 run to the visiting Lions and saw their deficit grow up seven at 16-7 after Jacob Zarges sent down a kill. 
• Emerson was not out of the set yet and were to inch back within five thanks to an attack error and a pair of kills from Pittman and Slavik to put the score at 20-15. 
• Another kill from Pittman and a service ace from Elliot got the Lions back to a five-point margin, but Eastern Nazarene closed the set out with match point on an attack error by the hosts. 

SET THREE

• Emerson began the third set playing from behind, but made a steady comeback to grab its biggest lead over Eastern Nazarene. With the score at 6-5, a swing from senior Rory Dobbins kicked off a 6-0 Lions spurt to put the hosts on top, 11-6. 
• The Lions were able to hold on to their lead despite the visiting Lions nearing them at one-point deficits three more times, the last at 14-13. At 16-14 Emerson, the visitors pieced together a 4-0 run to reclaim the 17-16 lead. 
• Emerson was able to keep within a point down the stretch and were two points away from forcing a fourth, but a kill from Fernandez halted the Lions comeback with the set three final at 25-20. 

UP NEXT

• Emerson head to Quincy on Saturday, February 5th for its first tri-match of the 2022 season where they will take on Regis (Mass.) and Kean. The first match begins at 11:00 a.m. while the second is slated to begin at 1:00 p.m.