BOSTON, Mass. (January 31, 2026) – Emerson College and Vermont State University Johnson split a non-conference men's volleyball doubleheader at Bobbi Brown and Steven Plofker Gymnasium today.

Emerson won the first five sets played in the doubleheader, taking a three-set win in match one, but VSU Johnson rallied from two sets down to take match two in five sets. Junior Riley Goldman averaged 3.31 kills per set over the two matches, with six digs and three block assists to total a team-best 26.5 points, while first year Ryan Chen averaged 9.38 assists, 0.75 service aces, 1.75 digs per set with three block assists and a pair of kills. First year Cade Ott contributed 2.63 kills, 2.25 digs and 0.50 blocks per set, with three aces, scoring 26.0 points for the day.

Chen dished out 33 assists to engineer the Lions attack in the match one win, adding his first collegiate double-double in match two with career-highs of 42 assists and 14 digs. (PHOTO BY Jim Pierce)

Match One: Emerson 3, VSU Johnson 0 (25-19, 25-19, 25-18)

Junior Riley Goldman and first year Cade Ott paced the Emerson attack with the first double-digit kill efforts of their careers as the Lions hit .278 as a team with 11 service aces in the three-set win. Goldman posted 12 kills and just one error for a .500 hitting percentage, adding three block assists and two digs, while Ott added a season-high 11 kills, three aces and six digs for the Lions. First year Ryan Chen dished out 33 assists and three service aces, while sophomore Mario Cielo-Salinas chipped in seven kills, a season-best nine digs, two aces and an assist for the Lions.

Sophomore Io Binder led VSU Johnson with ten kills (.286), while first year Zeek Pontiatowski dished out 18 assists with seven digs and a service ace. First year Jayda Dominguez chipped in with eight digs and two assists for the Badgers.

Emerson committed just two attack errors for a .478 hitting percentage in taking the opening set. Chen engineered the set with 11 assists on the Lions 13 kills, led by five from Goldman, adding two service aces. Chen added ten more assists in the second set with pacing the Lions 13 total kills with five. Emerson closed out the match with Chen doling out 12 assists to six different hitters combining for 14 kills and just four errors for a .345 hitting percentage. Cielo-Salinas was among three Lions with three kills in the set, adding two aces and chipping in two digs.

Ott recorded his first collegiate double-double in match two with ten kills and a season-best 12 digs (PHOTO BY Jim Pierce)

Match Two: VSU Johnson 3, Emerson 2 (17-25, 21-25, 25-14, 25-15, 17-15)

Binder produced a double-double to lead VSU Johnson in match two with 12 kills and 16 digs, while senior Luke Walters posted ten kills, two service aces and six digs for the Badgers. Pontiatowski also notched a double-double with 30 assists and ten digs.

Goldman led three from Emerson with double-digit kills with a career-high 13 with four digs, while Ott notched his first collegiate double-double with ten kills and a season-best 12 digs and three block assists. Cielo-Salinas rounded out the Lions in double figures with a season-high 11 kills, two assists, an ace, seven digs and two block assists. Chen dished out a season-best 42 assists for the Lions with a season-high 14 digs for his first career double-double, adding three aces and three block assists.

Emerson took the first two sets, but VSU Johnson rallied to earn the split. The Badgers took advantage of Emerson's 11 attack errors to win their first set of the doubleheader and then used a 13-1 run that turned a 12-10 deficit into a commanding 23-13 lead before senior Sam Munson forced the fifth and deciding set with a kill.

Emerson held a 13-11 advantage in the fifth set, but VSU Johnson closed with a 6-2 run to clinch the victory behind four attack errors and a service error by the Lions during the final stretch.

Up Next:

Emerson (2-2, 0-0 GNAC) returns to action on Thursday when it visits Dean College for a non-conference match at 7 p.m. The Lions next home match is next Saturday, February 7, when it hosts Curry College at 5 p.m. VSU Johnson (3-5, 0-0 NEVC) has two weeks off before hosting Wheaton College for a doubleheader on Saturday, February 14, starting at 10 a.m.

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