FULLERTON, CA (January 12, 2017) -- The Vassar College men's volleyball team got the 2017 season and new head coach Richard Gary era underway Wednesday evening against Hope International University, but the No. 8 ranked Brewers were unable to pick up their first win of the season in falling to the Royals in four sets with scores of 25-20, 17-25, 25-15 and 27-25. 

Vassar (0-1) were battling the National Athletic Intercollegiate Association (NAIA) No. 8 team, but the Brewers offensive attack struggled to get going in their first match of the season. VC hit just .115 for the contest, despite connecting on a .450 clip in their second set win. 

In the opening game, Vassar was unable to sustain runs, as HIU (2-0) posted a side-out percentage of 85 percent. VC was able to tie the match with a second set victory, posting 10 kills on 20 attempts, and fended off the Royals and their 15 terminations in the game. 

HIU regained its lead in the match in the third, as Vassar hit negative for the set with nine kills and 12 errors in the stanza. In the fourth game, VC twice fell behind but rallied to force extra points, fending off two match points. In the end though, the host Royals were able to outlast the Brewers for the win. 

Senior Christian Lizana started his 2017 season with a bang, as he chalked up a career-high 17 kills on 42 swings, adding 10 digs. The double-double for Lizana marked the second of his career, as he had 10 kills and 10 digs back against Wentworth February 7, 2015. 

Junior preseason All-American Matthew Knigge added 10 kills on 18 attempts, hitting .389, and also added seven rejections. Junior setter Zechariah Lee dished out 38 assists, also blocking seven attacks, and senior libero and captain Trey Cimorelli added a team-high 12 digs. Sophomore George Diehl had 11 kills and missed just one dig short of a double-double with nine. 

Freshman Zach Bygall added three assisted blocks, and Brian Manley added three blocks including two solo rejections. In all, the Brewers posted 13.5 rejections, while finishing with a .115 attacking rate (43-28-130). Max Osmundson paced HIU with 19 kills and eight digs, and Zach Greene also posted a double-double of 10 kills and 10 digs. 

Vassar will be right back at it tomorrow afternoon, battling California Lutheran University in more non-conference action at 4 p.m. PST/7 p.m. EST in Thousand Oaks, CA.