ARLINGTON, VA- After winning the first set, the Vassar College men's volleyball team dropped two close matches going five sets in both to the Marymount University Saints (25-16, 18-25, 25-20, 18-25, 11-15) and the Stevenson University Mustangs (25-19, 25-13, 11-25, 21-25, 16-18) Friday afternoon.
 
With the set of losses, the Brewers move to a record of 11-9.
 
The day started well for Vassar winning their first set.
 
Game play opened with the Brewers going point for point with the Saints. Vassar found an offensive edge with the score ties at eight with a Kevin Ros (Bridgewater, NJ) kill that sparked a 4-point run and a Marymount timeout. After the timeout, the Saints would score a few more points but the Brewers would maintain the lead. A kill by George Diehl (St. Louis, MO) paired with a Saint's attacking error and another Ros kill widened the Brewer's advantage 17-12. The offensive momentum build by Vassar would be too much for Marymount as a kill from Ryan Duchemin (Maitland, FL), a Saints attacking error and a Jefferson Waters (Hummelstown, PA) kill would close out the set.
 
Though, the Brewer's offensive momentum would shift in the second set. Vassar found themselves trailing quickly into the set with Marymount up by three. The Brewers would take two timeouts after trailing 8-14. Post timeout, the Brewers tried to regroup off of two attacking errors and a Waters kill, however the gap was too large and Vassar dropped the set.
 
In the third set, offensive momentum would change again. Vassar opened the set strong going on a 12-7 run with kills from Yoni Auerbach (East Brunswick, NJ), Diehl, Duchemin and two from Ros. The Brewers kept swinging hard and took a 5-point lead. Yet, the Saints kept swinging as well and climbed their way back to bring the game within two points. Though Vassar would edge out the victory off of three Marymount errors.
 
Set four saw another change of offensive momentum, this time in favor of the Saints. Though the Brewers opened with a 10-7 lead, the Saints capitalized on three consecutive Brewers errors to take the lead. A Diehl kill would level the court, four kills, two service aces, and five Vassar errors would solidify Marymount's lead.
 
In the final set, Marymount maintained composure offensively and defeated the Brewers.
 
After losing the first match, Vassar looked to regroup as they faced Stevenson.
 
The Brewers found themselves up after the first two sets. Court action began with the Brewers going on a swift 6-2 run that included three kills from Diehl. The Mustangs would respond with a kill and two service aces. With the score set 15-14 in favor of Vassar, a Mustang service error, two Mustang attacking errors, a kill from Joe Hendrickson and a service ace from Diehl consecutively gave Vassar the offensive protection to secure the set.
 
The next site opened identically to the first with the Brewers going on a 6-2 run. This time with two kills from Ros and one from both Diehl and Waters. Three straight Stevenson attacking errors and the Brewers lead the set 11-7. Additional kills by Auerbach and Waters combined with two more Stevenson attacking errors added to the wealth. Vassar would win the set off a Ros kill and two Mustang attacking errors.
 
After the first two sets, the Brewers were hitting a combined average of 0.315.
 
The Mustangs rallied in the next two sets going from a negative hitting percentage to hitting a combined average .566 and forcing a fifth set.
 
In the final set of the day, the Brewers jumped to a 7-4 lead. Two Stevenson kills and a Brewer attacking error set the score at 12. Vassar and Stevenson would trade points, each team looking to side out for the win. A kill from Jake Kaplan (Leesburg, VA) gave Vassar a 1-point lead but, ultimately a Brewer attacking error mixed with two Mustang kills would close out the match.
 
On the day, Ros notched 32 kills, Diehl 27 and Waters 21 while Daniel Halberg (Newark, DE) set 59 assists. Noah Hoppenjans (Edmond, OK) contributed 31 assists and Ben Brody (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) collected 13 digs.
 
Vassar is back on the court tomorrow at 1 p.m. in Mechanicsburg, PA as they face Messiah College.