Box Score GNAC MEN'S VOLLEYBALL SEMIFINALS
THE BASICS
Score: No. 1 Wentworth 3, No. 5 Emerson 1 (25-22, 17-25, 15-25, 12-25)
Records: Emerson Lions (13, 8-8 GNAC) ; Wentworth Leopards (23-7, 14-1 GNAC)
Location: Boston, Mass. (Tansey Gymnasium)
Date: April 13, 2023
The Lead: Led by nine kills from junior Neiko Pittman and 27 assists from sophomore Bayden Slavik, the Emerson men's volleyball team saw their postseason run come to an end when they fell to No. 1 Wentworth, 3-1, in the semi-final round of the GNAC Men's Volleyball Championship Tournament on Thursday night.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
EMERSON
Pittman: nine kills
Slavik: 27 assists, ace
Luke Roehm: seven digs
Ramsis De Los Santos: four blocks
WENTWORTH
Jacob LeBouliere: 21 kills, eight digs
Josh Milke: 48 assists
Four with two service aces
Tristan McDonough: four blocks
HOW IT HAPPENED
SET ONE
- Emerson held Wentworth to a low .156 hit percentage in the opening frame while they racked up a .379 attack percentage to edge out the Leopards, 25-22, in the first set.
- The set began tightly contested and saw five ties before Emerson started to pull away. After the score locked at 6-all, the Lions went on a 12-4 run to gain their biggest lead at 18-10.
- Emerson's eight-point lead was chiseled down to two at 20-18 behind a 8-2 run pieced together by Wentworth that was wrapped on an ace and a pair of swings.
- The Lions bumped their lead back up to five at 24-19 after a Leopards attack miscue, but once again, the Leopards answered and set off on a three-point run to put the score at 24-22.
- A serving error at the line committed by Wentworth ended all comeback hopes for the hosts as Emerson sealed the first set, 25-22.
SET TWO
- Wentworth responded in the second set with a .483 attack percentage on 18 kills to take the frame, 25-17, and locked the match up at one set apiece.
- The second frame shadowed the first as each team went back and forth with five ties and five lead changes. Wentworth broke the 6-all tie with the next seven of eight points to gain the six-point cushion over Emerson at 13-7.
- After Emerson trailed by six, the closest they were able to close in on Wentworth was four at 21-17 behind a Leopards attack error. The hosts then went on to close the frame out with the final four points as Emerson fell, 25-17.
SET THREE
- Emerson continued to play Wentworth tough in the early bits of the third frame with the leads never going over two points.
- Emerson pulled within one at 11-10 on a service error before Wentworth posted a 6-1 streak to put the Lions in a six-point hole at 17-11.
- With the score sat at 18-13, Emerson surrendered the set's final seven of nine tallies and fell, 25-15.
SET FOUR
- Out the gate of the fourth, Emerson found themselves in a five-point hole and would see their margin of deficit reach double-figures after Wentworth registered a 14-9 run with the score sat at 19-9.
- Emerson would continue to trail within double digits through the final portion of the frame and fell to Wentworth, 25-12, in the final set.
FOLLOW THE LIONS
