BASICS
Final Score: Emerson 0, Rivier 3 (23-25, 17-25, 21-25)
Team Records: Emerson (4-16, 2-10 GNAC); Rivier (16-12, 9-3 GNAC)
Venue & Location: Brown & Plofker Gym; Boston, Mass.
Date & Time: April 5, 2024; 6:00 p.m.

THE LEAD
BOSTON, Mass. - With the men's volleyball regular season dwindling, Emerson hosted Rivier for a GNAC matchup on Friday night. Lions sophomore Theo Hackett (Portland, Me.) tallied a season-high 17 kills on the night, but the Raiders went to Brown & Plofker and swept their hosts by set scores of 25-23, 25-17, and 25-21. Emerson moves to 4-16 (2-10 GNAC) while Rivier improves to 16-12 (9-3 GNAC).

TOP PERFORMERS
Emerson 
- Theo Hackett: 17 kills, 2 digs, 1 ace, 1 block assist
- Bayden Slavik: 5 kills, 13 assists, 2 digs, 1 solo block, 1 block assist
- Bryson Beck: 

Rivier
- Chris Lezon: 12 kills, 1 dig, 1 ace, 1 solo block, 3 block assists
- Ryan Peace: 9 kills, 2 digs, 2 aces
- Niel Rea: 1 kill, 31 assists, 6 digs, 1 solo block, 1 block assist

HOW IT HAPPENED
The first set was a back-and-forth battle that saw neither team's lead extend beyond three points. Emerson got out to a 7-4 lead, but a pair of Emerson attack errors and an ace by Rivier's Ben Dorsey evened the score. After trading points for a while, Rivier found themselves ahead of their hosts 17-14, though Emerson battled back and tied it up off of a kill by Chase Fagen, an attack error by Rivier, and then an ace by Peter White. However, Rivier earned the lead back immediately thanks to a kill by Chris Lezon and an attack error by Emerson, making the score 19-17. An eventual kill by Rivier's Sokunbluth Ly would seal the first set at 25-23 for the Raiders

The second set started the same as the first set, as neither team was willing to give the other too much space. Rivier would eventually take a 12-8 lead off of an Emerson service error, a block by Niel Rea, and a kill by Ly. Emerson wouldn't get within two points for the remainder of the set, especially after Rivier pulled away to a 20-13 lead thanks to a kill by Ryan Peace, another ace by Dorsey, an Emerson attack error, and a kill by Matthew McCloskey.

McCloskey's kill led to an Emerson timeout immediately after, which allowed the Lions to rejuvenate themselves. Bayden Slavik opened post-timeout play with a kill, but Rivier responded with a kill of their own by Peace. Theo Hackett came back with his kill, which was followed by a Rivier attack error and another ace by White to get the Raider lead down to 21-17. However, Rivier would retake control of the game and win the set 25-17 thanks to two straight Emerson attack errors and two straight aces by Peace.

The third set saw Emerson take control early, turning a 4-3 lead into a 9-5 lead. Four of the five points were credited as kills by Hackett. Rivier would turn it around immediately, going on a run of their own to take a 15-11 lead. Like the previous set, Emerson would not get within two points of Rivier once the Raiders took the lead. The Lions found themselves facing match point after an attack error made the score 24-19 in Rivier's favor, but a kill by Fagen and a Raider attack error made the score 24-21, giving Emerson a bit of light. However, a kill for Rivier on the next sequence by Lezon would wrap things up, as Rivier won the set 25-21 and the match 3-0.

NEXT UP
Emerson men's volleyball closes out the regular season with a tri-match at Elms College in Chicopee, Mass. on Saturday, April 6. They will face Dean College at 1:00 p.m. for their first game and then the hosts at 3:00 p.m. for their second. Elms and Emerson are ranked sixth and seventh, respectively, in the GNAC men's volleyball standings, with both teams carrying a 2-10 record but Elms holding the higher spot because they won their first head-to-head matchup against Emerson. Dean is currently winless at 0-12 in conference play and thus ranks last in the standings.