NORTON, Mass. (January 29, 2026) – Wheaton College collected its first win in program history with a 3-0 (25-18, 25-22, 25-22) decision in the inaugural encounter with Emerson College in a non-conference men's volleyball matchup at Haas Athletic Center tonight.

Sophomore Connor Lloyd led a Wheaton attack that saw 11 different Lyons record kills with a match-high nine with just one attack error for a .533 hitting percentage, adding two digs and a block assist. First-year R. Bennett Chiappetta added six kills, two assists, three service aces, two digs and a block assist for the Lyons. First-year Jacob Hoy dished out a team-high 18 assists with three digs, four block assists, an ace and kill, while classmate Stephen Dufour chipped in five digs.

Junior Riley Goldman and sophomore Mario Cielo-Salinas paced the Emerson attack with a season-best nine kills apiece. Cielo-Salinas totaled a match-high 11 points with his nine kills, three digs and three blocks in the match, while Goldman scored ten points for the Lions with nine kills, a service ace and dig.

First-year Ryan Chen dished out a match-high 21 assists for Emerson with two digs, an ace and block assist. Classmate Cade Ott chipped in with a season-best seven digs and three kills.

Wheaton took an opening set that featured six ties and three lead changes, using an 8-2 run to gain some separation with the set tied at 8-8. Chiappetta served up an ace for a 16-10 Lyons lead they would not relinquish the remainder of the set, following with set point on a kill.

Wheaton would not trail again in the match, opening a six-point lead (11-5) after back-to-back attack errors from Emerson. The Lions drew back within two on four separate occasions down the stretch in the second set but could get no closer.

Wheaton raced out to a 10-2 lead after a kill from sophomore Jimmy Ciummo, but Emerson charged back within a point (20-19), keyed by a five-point run on first-year Jack Ferrie's serve, after a Wheaton attack error. The Lyons held once again and closed out the win with a kill from sophomore Jack Kenyon.     

Emerson (1-1, 0-0 GNAC) is right back in action on Saturday when it hosts Vermont State University Johnson for a non-conference doubleheader at Bobbi Brown and Steven Plofker Gymnasium starting at 11 a.m. Wheaton (1-3) continues its inaugural season next Thursday when it hosts Regis College at 7 p.m.

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