NEWTON, MA (February 6, 2016) – The No. 10 Vassar College men's volleyball team moved to 8-1 on the season with a pair of non-conference wins over Newbury College and Mount Ida College Saturday in action from the Mount Ida College Athletic Center. Vassar knocked off Newbury in three games (25-19, 25-12, 25-20) before finishing the day with another three- set win (25-10, 25-15, 25-16).

Vassar 3, Newbury 0
Senior Reno Kriz (Breinigsville, PA/Parkland) and sophomore Matthew Knigge (New Egypt, NJ/New Egypt) each posted 10 kills as the Brewers knocked off the Nighthawks in three games.

Vassar chalked up 11 service aces in the match, while not getting aced one in rolling to the win. VC didn't hit well, registering a .192 percentage, but it also held Newbury to .048 hitting.

In the first set, Vassar used a 7-0 run early in the set to turn a 4-4 game into an 11-4 score line. Vassar allowed the Nighthawks to get back into the set at 14-13, but the Brewers pulled away to earn the 1-0 lead. VC led the entire way in the second set, thanks to great defense that held the Nighthawks to just five kills in the game.

In the third set, Vassar posted a match-best 14 kills, scoring 10 of the first 13 points to roll to the win. Along with Kriz and Knigge, senior Erik Halberg (Newark, DE/Salesianum) posted four kills on five swings, while freshman George Diehl (St. Louis, MO/Lindbergh), Christian Lizana (Dublin, PA/Pennridge) and Quinn Rutledge (Chesterfield, VA/Cosby) each had four kills as well.

Junior libero Trey Cimorelli (Orchard Park, NY/Orchard Park) led the team with nine digs, and setter Zechariah Lee (Santa Clarita, CA/Saugus) had a game-best 18 assists, along with five aces, four digs and two blocks. Rutledge added eight digs, Daniel Halberg (Newark, DE/Salesianum) posted 10 assists and Knigge led Vassar with seven blocks including three solo rejections. Vassar totaled nine blocks as a team, and only four service aces on the match.

Vassar 3, Mount Ida
Kriz and company posted 37 kills on just 61 attempts against host Mount Ida College, rolling to another three-set victory. The senior right side as the only player in double figure kills against MIC, but the offense across the board was great, as VC hit .541 for the match.

Halberg and Lee combined to dish out 30 assists, while Knigge pounded down six terminations on eight attempts. Sophomore Brian Manley (Orchard Park, NY/Orchard Park) pounded down seven attempts, hitting .417 for the match, and Corelli added seven more digs. Vassar registered nine total blocks, including four total rejections from Erik Halberg.

Knigge added five aces and three assists as well, while Rutledge converted all four of his attacks while posting three digs as well. Vassar posted a side out percentage of 74 percent, winning its fourth straight match for the second time this season.

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Vassar College opens its United Volleyball Conference slate this Wednesday evening at 6 p.m. in Kenyon Hall, hosting defending national champion Stevens Institute of Technology in league play.