POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (March 10, 2015) – The Vassar College men's volleyball team (11-10, 0-4 UVC) travels to the Boston area to play three matches this weekend. The Brewers take on Endicott College at 5 p.m. on Friday in Beverly, MA. The next day, Vassar travels to Cambridge, MA for a conference clash against No. 13 MIT at 1 p.m., as well as a non-conference match against Lasell at 3 p.m.
 
Game Details
Opponent: at Endicott College (8-9, 7-0 NECC)
Links:  (Endicott Men's Volleyball Homepage) (Roster) (Stats) (Schedule)
Site: Beverly, MA
Facility: MacDonald Gymnasium
Date: March 13, 2015
Time: 5:00 p.m.
Twitter Coverage: (@VassarAthletics) (@VassarMensVB) (@ECGulls) (@EndicottMVB)
Live Coverage: (Live Stats) (Live Video)
 
Opponent: at MIT (13-6, 2-3 UVC)
Links:  (MIT Men's Volleyball Homepage) (Roster) (Stats) (Schedule)
Site: Cambridge, MA
Facility: duPont Gymnasium
Date: March 14, 2015
Time: 1:00 p.m.
Twitter Coverage: (@VassarAthletics) (@VassarMensVB) (@MITEngineers)
Live Coverage: (Live Stats) (Live Video)
 
Opponent: vs. Lasell College (15-4, 5-1 GNAC)
Links:  (Lasell Men's Volleyball Homepage) (Roster) (Stats) (Schedule)
Site: Cambridge, MA
Facility: duPont Gymnasium
Date: March 14, 2015
Time: 3:00 p.m.
Twitter Coverage: (@VassarAthletics) (@VassarMensVB) (@LasellAthletics)
Live Coverage: (Live Video)
 
What to Look For
The big game this weekend will be when Vassar takes on No. 13 MIT. As the season starts to wind down, every remaining conference game is crucial. If the Brewers are able to get that elusive first conference victory, it may be enough to propel them into the UVC playoffs. However, should the Engineers come out on top, Vassar would be in trouble in its quest to get back to the conference playoffs after a year hiatus. However, the Brewers cannot look past Endicott, a team who made the NCAA tournament a year ago, or a resurgent Lasell, who is having one of the best seasons in program history.
 
A Look At The Gulls (8-9, 7-0 NECC)
Endicott has had an up-and-down season so far, although, they have been playing very well recently. The Gulls started the season 1-6, with their only win coming against Brooklyn in their season opener. However, since then Endicott has gone 7-3, including a perfect 7-0 in conference play. This past week the Gulls won a huge conference match over Southern Vermont 3-2 on Tuesday, and also defeated Daniel Webster in straight sets, before falling to Dominican and Lasell this past Saturday. Before Vassar this week, Endicott has another conference tilt against Regis on Tuesday.
 
The Gulls are a very outside-dominated offense this season. Junior outside hitters John Osborne and Dan Seaver lead the offense with 197 and 133 kills, respectively. The duo is followed by fellow junior middle hitters Daniel Toth and Alex Wasik, totaling 91 and 84 kills on the season. Junior setter Cameron Little runs the offense, dishing out 384 total assists. On defense, Toth paces the frontcourt with 57 total blocks, while senior libero Kristian Catalan leads the backcourt with 156 digs.
 
Potential Starting Lineup: OH – John Osborne, OH – Dan Seaver, MH – Daniel Toth, MH – Alex Wasik, MH – Ryan Sutherland, S – Cameron Little, L – Kristian Catalan
 
Against Endicott All-Time
Vassar currently leads the all-time series 6-3, dating back to 2005. The Brewers had won four straight matchups between the two teams between 2010 and 2013, but the Gulls broke the streak last year, when they earned a 3-0 victory on February 15, 2014.
 
A Look At The Engineers (13-6, 2-3 UVC)
MIT had a great start to the season, winning 13 of their first 15 matches, only falling to Division I Harvard and SUNY New Paltz. During that streak, the Engineers defeated Wentworth in four sets, Endicott in five sets, as well as Lakeland in three sets. However, since then MIT has cooled off somewhat, dropping four straight games, all to ranked opponents. The Engineers fell to Dominican and Springfield in four sets, before dropping three-set contests to conference rivals Elmira and Stevens this past Saturday. Before Vassar on Saturday, MIT will take on Dominican again this Tuesday, as well as Elms on Thursday.
 
Like Endicott, MIT runs much of their offense through their pin hitters. Senior opposite Alex Klein leads the team with 217 total kills on the season, followed by sophomore outside hitter Martin Krasuski and freshman middle hitter Jack Serrino with 140 and 130 kills, respectively. Serrino is also has a team-high .355 hitting percentage. Two-time All-American libero Brendan Chang has made the transition to setter this season, dishing out a team-high 584 assists. On defense, Serrino leads the frontcourt with 65 total blocks, while Krasuski and sophomore libero Jordan Lucier pace the back row with 130 and 126 digs, respectively.
 
Potential Starting Lineup: OH – Martin Krasuski, OH – Chris Omahan, MH – Jack Serrino, MH – Andrew Busse, OPP – Alex Klein, S – Brendan Chang, L – Jordan Lucier
 
Against MIT All-Time
Vassar currently leads the series 14-6, dating back to 1989. The longest winning streak in the series was when Vassar won 10 straight matchups between the two teams from 1994 to 2009. Vassar's last win in the series came on February 24, 2013, where the Brewers won in five sets. The two teams met twice last season, with MIT winning in three games on February 22, 2014, and in five games on March 14, 2014.
 
A Look At The Lasers (15-4, 5-1)
Lasell is off to one of the best starts in program history this season. The Lasers started the season 7-0, winning the JWU Tip Off Tournament as well as the Live Free or Die Tournament. After a three-match skid, where the team lost to Wentworth, Stevens, and Juniata, Lasell bounced back to win eight of their next nine games, including a 3-0 sweep in a rematch against Wentworth. This past week, Lasell upset No. 12 Rivier in four sets, before splitting a pair of games on Saturday, losing to Dominican in three sets and defeating Endicott in five games. Before Vassar, Lasell takes on Springfield this Tuesday.
 
The common theme for Vassar opponents this weekend is that they like to set their pin hitters, and Lasell is no exception. Senior outside hitter Dan Raffol paces the team with 199 kills this season, while junior outside hitter Jeffrey Vautrin and sophomore opposite Patrick McDonald follow close behind with 181 and 127 kills, respectively. Vautrin is also hitting a team-high .326. Junior setter Andrew Glenn has recorded a team-high 597 assists. On defense, Raffol and Glenn lead the way with 130 and 103 digs, respectively.
 
Potential Starting Lineup: OH – Dan Raffol, OH – Jeffrey Vautrin, MH – Drew Caruso, MH – Tristan Davis, OPP – Patrick McDonald, S – Andrew Glenn, L – Alex Moule.
 
Against Lasell All-Time
The two teams have only met one time in their history, on February 19, 2011. In that game, Vassar came out with the four-set victory.
 
Single Swing
As they have all season, the Brewers still lead the conference, and are fourth nationally with an average of 2.25 aces per set this season. Freshman setter Zechariah Lee (Santa Clarita, CA/Saugus) leads the UVC with 0.81 aces per set, while junior Erik Halberg (Newark, DE/Salesianum) is second on the team with 22 total aces.
 
Sudden Standout
Sophomore outside hitter Quinn Rutledge (Chesterfield, VA/Cosby) has been making a name for himself recently, being named Brewer Featured Athlete of the Week. Rutledge had a huge weekend, recording eight kills against Nazareth, as well as a team-high nine kills against New Paltz.
 
Net Protector
Freshman middle hitter Matthew Knigge (New Egypt, NJ/New Egypt) has been a force to be reckoned with at the net. Knigge recorded seven kills and five blocks, hitting .385, against New Paltz on Saturday, and is currently seventh in the UVC with a .370 hitting percentage, and also is sixth in blocks with 1.03 rejections per set.
 
Defensive Dandy
Sophomore libero Trey Cimorelli (Orchard Park, NY/Orchard Park) has been solid in the backcourt for the Brewers, recording six digs in each match on Saturday. Cimorelli is currently fifth in the conference with 2.40 digs per set.
 
Back To Beantown
This is the first time the Brewers will be travel to the Boston area this season. However, last season, Vassar traveled to Cambridge, MA, Boston, MA, and Cambridge, MA again over three consecutive weekends.
 
Up Next
After this weekend, the Brewers are off for spring break until they return on Thursday, March 26 to play Brooklyn in Brooklyn, NY. After that game, Vassar will have two more important conference matchups against Penn State-Behrend and No. 2 Stevens on Saturday, March 28 in Hoboken, N.J.