Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

HUNTINGDON, PA (January 26, 2013) – In the opening matches of the 2013 season, the Vassar College men's volleyball team came back from a 2-1 set deficit and fought off five match points to defeat Stevenson University, 3-2, In the nightcap, the Brewers battled, but fell to host and No. 3 nationally ranked Juniata 3-0 at the Kennedy Sports and Recreation Center on Saturday.

It was a solid opening two matches for the Brewers, who defeated Stevenson 25-23, 19-25, 18-25, 28-26, 15-10 in a 2:30 p.m. match. In the evening contest against a strong Juniata team, Vassar fell 21-25, 25-27, 14-25. Juniata improved to 4-0 with the victory.

The Brewers (1-1) will next travel to Stevens Institute of Technology on Wednesday, January 30 at 7:00 p.m. The Ducks were selected the pre-season favorites to win the United Volleyball Conference (UVC).

Vassar 3, Stevenson 2
(25-23, 19-25, 18-25, 28-26, 15-10)

The Brewers fought back from a 2-1 set deficit and faced five match points. Stevenson led 24-19 and was on the brink of winning the match, leading 24-19. The Brewers reeled off five straight points to tie the set 24-24. Freshman Reno Kriz, who led the Brewers with 15 kills and added eight digs, was instrumental in the comeback, contributing a big solo block at 24-21, a kill at 24-23 and teamed with senior Patrick Donohue to force 25-25. With the set tied 26-26, Kirz had a crosscourt kill and fellow freshman Erik Halberg forced a fifth set with a kill.

In the deciding fifth set, Vassar jumped out to a 11-6 lead following back-to-back kills from seniors Charlie Caldwell and Matt Elgin. Stevenson was able to close within 14-10, but Elgin snuffed the rally with his 12th kill of the match.

The Brewers took a 1-0 match lead with a strong first set and a .258 attack effort. Vassar rallied back from being down 17-12 and worked toward a 20-20 tie that was short lived as Stevenson jumped ahead 23-20 on two service aces. With junior Joe Pyne serving, Vassar won the final four points, punctuated by three straight kills from Elgin.

Stevenson captured the second and third sets and never trailed in either one. In the second, a Kriz kill brought Vassar within 13-12, and a Stevenson error made the match 16-15, but Stevenson rolled off seven of the next nine points for a 23-17 lead. Stevenson's Jon Martin had his team's last two points. The Brewers were hampered by a set that had nine kills and nine attack errors.

In the third set, Vassar had nine kills and eight hitting errors that allowed Stevenson to pull away from a slight 16-15 lead, winning nine of the final 12 points.

Beside's Kriz' 15 kills, Elgin contributed 12 kills and a lofty .435 attack percentage. Pyne had nine digs and senior Christian La Du had seven. Senior John Konow had 30 set assits.

Stevenson got an 18-kill effort from Austin Jacoby and 12 from Martin. David Moler had 54 assists. Adam Thatcher earned 15 digs.

Vassar 0, Juniata 3
21-25, 25-27, 14-25

The first two sets were competitively played. In the opener, the Brewers were in striking distance throughout, trailing 18-17 after a kill by Donohue. The Eagles then won five of the next six points for a 23-18 lead. A Juniata service error enabled Vassar within 23-19, but a kill by the hosts Joe Bortak and a Vassar service error led to the 25-21 win.

In the second set, Vassar's best played, the Brewers forced five early match ties and then took their biggest lead of the match at 20-17 following a kill by Kriz off an assist by Konow. Behind the serving of Bortak, Juniata went on a four-point run that gave the Eagles at 21-20 lead. Vassar staved off set point at 24-23 (Elgin kill), tied the match at 25-25 after a Juniata serving error, but an attack error and a serving miscue provided Juniata with the 27-25 win.

In the final set, Juniata came out aggressively and led 10-5. The Eagles capitalized on nine Vassar attack errors in this set, and made only three en route to hitting .364 in the deciding set. A kill by Juniata's Alex McColgin pushed the score to 20-10, and although a Joe Pyne kill stemmed the tide, the Eagles were able to close out the set 25-14.

Kriz led Vassar with seven kills. Elgin had six. Konow had 24 set assists and La Du had 11 digs.

Juniata was paced by McClolgin's 10 kills. Bortak chipped in eight with a solid .545 hitting percentage. Rob Strauss had 21 set assists.