THE BASICS 

Match One Score: Emerson 3, Dean 0

Match Two Score: Elms 3, Emerson 0 

Records: Emerson Lions (6-19, 4-12 GNAC) ; Dean Bulldogs (0-21, 0-14 GNAC) ; Elms Blazers (14-14, 10-6 GNAC)

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

Date: April 2, 2022

The Lead: The Emerson men's volleyball team wrapped its regular season with a GNAC tri-match split on senior day against Dean and Elms. Emerson began the day with a three-set sweep over Dean before they dropped the second match to Elms, 3-0, on Saturday afternoon.

Prior to today's tri-match, Emerson men's volleyball head coach, Ben Read, honored the Lions' trio of seniors for their dedication and hard work in their time suiting up in the Purple & Gold. The 2022 graduating class consists of Rory Dobbins, Josh Elliot and Jackson Gordon.

MATCH ONE: Emerson 3, Dean 0

INSIDE THE NUMBERS 

EMERSON

Dobbins: 18 kills & three aces
Jack Miessner: 11 kills
Elliot: 32 assists 
Bryson Beck: 10 digs
Bayden Slavik: four blocks

DEAN

Rodrigo Monteiro: eight kills
Tyler Martins: 11 assists & two assists
Traijan Powell: nine digs & one block
Nicholas Carlson: one block

HOW IT HAPPENED 

• 10 kills on 24 total attacks with a hit percentage of .292 propelled Emerson to a commanding 25-12 first-set win over Dean. 
• Emerson stormed out to a 10-3 lead in the first frame and tacked the next six of nine points to bolster their lead into double figures at 16-6. The Lions would hold on to a double-digit advantage as the set closed with the hosts coming out on top, 25-12. 
• The Lions carried momentum into the second set and started off with a quick 7-3 lead over the Bulldogs. The visitors, however, responded and locked up the score three times before the Lions tallied a quick three-point run to put the score at 12-9.
• After a 4-0 spurt lifted Dean to their first lead at 13-12, both teams continued to go back and forth with nine ties, the last coming at 21-all. Dean took the 22-21 lead on a kill by Carlson before Emerson fired off the set's last four points. 
• Two consecutive Dean attack miscues, an ace and a kill from Robbins sealed the 4-0 spurt by the Lions to help them seal the 25-22 second set victory. 
• Dean captured an early 3-2 lead in the beginning of the third as Emerson broke away with an 8-2 spark to push their lead to six at 11-5. Another string of three points kept the Lions' cushion at seven with the score at 15-8. 
• Emerson continued to keep Dean at a distance at 16-11, but the Bulldogs once again responded and registered the set's next five of seven points to pull within a pair at 18-16. A swing from Miessner and two attack mishaps pushed Emerson's lead back to four at 21-17. 
• Dean used five of the following seven points to gain gain and inch within three at 23-20 on a Lions serving error, yet back-to-back swings from Dobbins sealed the 25-20 third set win. 

MATCH TWO: Elms 3, Emerson 0

INSIDE THE NUMBERS 

EMERSON

Miessner: four kills & one ace
Slavik: nine assists & four blocks
Beck: one ace & nine digs

ELMS

Pedro De Jesus: 12 kills
Carlos Mercado: 16 assists
Collin Liedke: 23 digs
Moose Perry: two blocks
Antonio Delgado Rolon, Benjamin Laxton & Luis Martinez: one ace

HOW IT HAPPENED 

• Emerson trailed by four at 7-3 to begin the first set before the used a little three-point spurt to get within one at 7-6. The Lions continued to trail by a pair through the middle of the frame before the Blazers began to break away on a 6-0 run that moved the hosts deficit to six at 18-12.
• Beck's kill followed by an ace set off a 5-1 run helped Emerson gain ground and inch within a pair at 19-17. 
• It was Elms who would come away with the first set win win as the Blazers recorded six consecutive points to take the 25-17 win. 
• The margin to start off the second frame did not go over three until Elms tallied seven of eight points to extend their lead to nine at 16-7. Emerson continued to trail by nine at 19-10 and stayed within seven, which was the closet they would come to Elms.
• Elms rounded out the second set scoring with a 5-0 run to take the 25-15 win. 
• For the first time in the match, Emerson held a consistent lead in the beginning of the third and had the 10-7 lead after Slavik's kill. With the two-point lead at 12-10, Elms rattled off a 7-1 spark to regain the 17-13 advantage.
• Emerson inched back within one after a three-point run at 17-16 on a Blazers attack error. Eight of the last 10 points went the Blazers' way as the Lions fell in the third set, 25-18.