ELMIRA, N.Y. - The Vassar men's volleyball team split United Volleyball Conference (UVC) against Nazareth on Saturday afternoon in Speidel Gymnasium. Both matches went five sets, with the Brewers taking match one 3-2 (25-23, 25-19, 22-25, 29-31, 15-12), but falling 2-3 in the second (25-18, 25-16, 22-25, 30-32, 8-15). 

Vassar now stands at 4-2 overall and moves to 3-2 in the UVC. Meanwhile, the Nazareth goes to 5-3 overall and 3-1 in the conference. 

Neither side hit particularly well in the first match, but the Brewers managed a .339 percentage as opposed to the Golden Flyers' .264 percent. Sophomore Andrew Kim (Rancho Santo Margarita, CA) tallied a career-high 24 kills (.450) with two aces and six digs. Fellow sophomore Gavin van Beveren (Alpharetta, GA) added 15 kills and a team-high five blocks, while first-year Vaughn Ramsey (Denver, CO) broke out with 11 kills on a team-best .643 hitting percentage. AJ Erickson (San Diego, CA) kept his assist total growing with 47 in the match, and Matt Usui (Rolling Hills Estates, CA) recorded a season-high 17 digs. 

Vassar took the first two sets, but Nazareth fought back to win two straight, forcing a fifth set with a tough 31-29 fourth. In the final stage, the Brewers used a 3-0 span comprised of kills from Ramsey and Erickson and a Golden Flyers' error to go up 6-3. Nazareth would tie 7-7 after Trent Caviness, and Owen Wickens knocked in kills before a Jason Proud ace. Right after, Vassar used a 4-0 run capped up by a van Beveren and Colin Jones (San Diego, CA) double block. Nate Allen put the Golden Flyers within one following a kill, but two-straight Vassar points ended the match.   

The second match started similarly, with Vassar going up 2-0. The Golden Eagles again took the next three with another grueling 32-30 victory in the fourth. This time it was Nazareth taking the fifth, winning 15-8.

Van Beveren topped the Brewers with 18 kills, while Kim had 11, Ramsey continued to finish in double digits with 10. Defensively, senior Ryan Duchemin (Maitland, FL) led the way with eight total blocks. Erickson dished out 39 assists, and Usui had 13 digs. 

For Nazareth, Antonio Sargent led the team with 17 kills and two aces. Wickens tacked on 16 kills with two aces as well. Caviness finished with 34 assists, and Seth Terzo grabbed 16 digs. 

Vassar next welcomes New Paltz to Kenyon Hall on Wednesday for a doubleheader starting at 4 p.m.