POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (February 3, 2016) – The Vassar College men's volleyball team exploded for a .467 hitting percentage Wednesday, spoiling former assistant coach Antonia Sweet's return to Kenyon Hall as VC knocked off Purchase College in straight sets. The Brewers earned the win with scores of 25-6, 25-10 and 25-18.

Vassar (6-1) jumped out on top quickly, earning a set advantage thanks to some solid serving from junior Christian Lizana (Dublin, PA/Pennridge) and sophomore Zechariah Lee (Santa Clarita, CA/Saugus). The pair combined to serve for 15 points in the first set, combining on six service aces as the Brewers took the early lead. Senior Reno Kriz (Breinigsville, PA/Parkland) added four kills for Vassar in the opening set.

The Brewers kept their hot hitting going in the second set, connecting on 12 kills on 19 swings, while siding out the Panthers (1-4) on eight of 10 attempts to take a 2-0 advantage. In the second set, Vassar used an 11-3 run midway through the stanza to take a commanding lead.

Vassar was able to capture the win in the third set, posting 14 kills in the period, including four by sophomore Brian Manley (Orchard Park, NY/Orchard Park). Kriz led the Brewers for the night with 10 kills, needing only 17 swings while hitting .412 for the match.

Manley and freshman George Diehl (St. Louis, MO/Lindbergh) each chalked up six terminations apiece, with Diehl hitting .714 on the evening. Lee and freshman setter Daniel Halberg (Newark, DE/Salesianum) combined for 31 assists, as Lee also added four aces on the night. Junior Quinn Rutledge (Chesterfield, VA/Cosby) registered five digs, three aces and three kills, and Erik Halberg (Newark, DE/Salesianum) added four kills on five attacks.

The Brewers needed just 60 attacks to earn 37 kills as a team, while siding out at a 75 percent rate Wednesday. Junior Trey Cimorelli (Orchard Park, NY/Orchard Park) posted five digs as well, and Matthew Knigge (New Egypt, NJ/New Egypt) chalked up five terminations in the win. Vassar finished with 11 aces on the night, and held visiting Purchase to -.015 hitting on the night.

Three players posted five kills apiece for the Panthers, as Andrew Schwab, Kevin Carges and Riley Damerell combined for 15 of the team's 18 kills. Damerell also led the team with nine assists, and Matthew McCarthy posted a team-high four digs for Purchase. The Panthers are in their first year under the direction of Sweet, who was a longtime assistant men's and women's volleyball coach at Vassar.

The Brewers will head to Newton, MA at 1 p.m. to take on Mount Ida College and Newbury College Saturday afternoon in non-conference action.