Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

SPRINGFIELD, MA (March 2, 2013) – The No. 12 nationally ranked Vassar College men's volleyball team was on the brink of upsetting No. 1 ranked Springfield College, but saw the host Pride storm back from being down 2-0, to win in five sets at Dana Gym. Following the Springfield match, the Brewers played Elms College in an evening match and swept the Blazers 3-0.

The split of matches leaves Vassar 11-6 on the season. The Brewers will next travel to SUNY New Paltz on Wednesday, March 6 for a 7:00 p.m. match.

Against Springfield (14-3), Vassar took the first two sets in dramatic fashion (29-27, 25-23), and led 7-2 in the third set before the Pride came roaring back to capture the next three sets (25-19, 25-18, 15-4. In those final sets, Springfield hit .367, .407 and .800, not making a single attack error in the final set.

The fourth set was the critical swing set. Vassar jumped out to a 4-0 lead, which prompted a Springfield timeout and then 7-2, which forced another Pride timeout. The second timeout enabled Springfield to regroup and the Pride tied the set for the first time at 12-12. 

The set was tied just once more, 14-14, and two straight Springfield kills, followed by a Vassar attack error, pushed the hosts up 17-14. The Brewers drew within 17-16 following a kill from freshman Reno Kriz, but with Springfield's John Coen serving at 19-16, the Pride won four straight points for a 23-16 lead and tied the match at two sets apiece with a 25-18 win.

In the deciding fifth set, Springfield jumped out to a 9-1 lead and was never challenged in winning 15-5.

Trailing 2-0 didn't seem to deter Springfield in a pivotal third set. The Pride escaped from a 5-5 tie for a 13-6 lead and then bumped that margin to 18-9. A kill by senior Matt Elgin stemmed the tide and Vassar actually drew within four points in the late going, once at 20-16 off another Elgin kill and 22-18 following a Springfield attack error. The Pride's Jimmy O'Leary accounted for two kills in leading his team to a 25-19 win.

Vassar played its best two sets of the season in jumping out to a 2-0 lead to start the match. The scintillating first set was tied seven ties with neither team able to secure more than a three point advantage the entire way.  Springfield fought back from a pair of three point deficits (22-19, 23-20) and three set points (24-23, 25-24, 26-25) to lead 27-26 after a Vassar attack error. Springfield returned the miscue for a 27-27 tie, then committed a ball handling error. Vassar won 29-27 following a kill from junior Joe Pyne.

The second set will be remembered for back-to-back kills from senior Charlie Caldwell for a 25-23 victory. The second set was similar to the opener, as it went down to the wire. Vassar led 7-3 early after a kill from senior Patrick Donohue and Springfield drew even at 10-10. From that point, the match was tied four more times, although the Brewers stayed in control by several points until a Springfield ace knotted the match at 23-23. Vassar called timeout and Caldwell responded with consecutive kills for the 25-23 victory.

Against Springfield, Elgin had 14 kills and Pyne added 14 and 10 digs. Senior John Konow had 43 set assists and Christian La Du added nine digs.

Springfield had four players with ten or more kills, led by Mike Pelletier with 16 and O'Leary with 15. Mike Becker orchestrated the offense with 52 set assists. Nick Ferry had 13 digs.

In the nightcap against Elms, the Brewers won in methodical fashion, 25-20, 25-21, 25-23.

In the first set a service ace by Pyne prompted an early 11-5 lead and then 13-6 on a Donahue lead. Elms fought gallantly back into the set, however, and drew within 20-17.  A much need kill came from Luke Sobieraj for a 21-17 lead, who against answered with another kill for a 23-18 lead. Caldwell ended the set with a kill.

In the second set, Vassar raced out to an 8-3 lead, then 11-6 off a Donohue kill. Elms closed within 18-15 off a kill by Angel Castro, but a kill by Pyne gave Vassar a four point cushion, 19-15.  The last portion of the set was tight, as Elms drew within 22-20, but the Brewers solidified the set with kills by Sobieraj and Elgin for the 25-21 win.

The third set was the most competitive, going down to the wire. Elms took its biggest lead of the match at 14-10 following a Vassar attack error, and the match had subsequent ties at 19-19 and 20-20, 21-21, 22-22. The Brewers won their last three points all off Elgin kills.

Elgin finished with 18 kills with only two errors and a .533 attack percentage. Konow had24 set assists. Pyne and Colin Fearn-Johnson each had seven digs.

Elms got 16 kills from Jeff Vautrin and nine from Castro.