HOBOKEN, N.J. - The fifth-ranked Vassar College Men's Volleyball team opened up the 2023 campaign in a tri-match at #4 Stevens on Saturday afternoon as the Brewers swept Elms 25-16, 25-17, 25-20 in the first match of the day. Vassar fell in the nightcap to the Ducks 19-25, 20-25, 23-25 to begin the season 1-1 overall.

#5 VASSAR 3 - ELMS 0
The Brewers opened up the first set with a 5-2 advantage as kills from sophomores Billy Fan and Payne Lounsbery got VC on top early. Following a kill from the Blazers' Jairam Rodriquez, Vassar scored three straight points on winners from Fan, freshman Tristan Christofferson and junior Andrew Guaragno to take a 13-6 advantage. Elms responded with a three point run to cut the Brewers lead down to 19-13 before VC responded with 6-3 run to close the first set on two kills from Guaragno as well as a double block from Christofferson and junior Jacob Kim.

The Blazers got out to a 6-4 advantage in the second set and led by Axelmanuel Figueroa Acevedo's kill. Following a VC service error that tied the set up at 10, the Brewers scored four straight points on kills from sophomore Gavin Akoto and Guaragno as well as two service aces from Fan. The Brewers then tallied six straight points to build its lead to 21-13 on two kills from freshman James Zuckerman and a kill from Fan along with a block from J. Kim and Zuckerman. Vassar clinched the second set on a winner from Lounsbery to take a 25-17 second set victory.

Elms took an early 4-2 lead in the third set on a winner from Rodriquez before five straight points from the Brewers gave VC a 7-4 lead. Two kills from sophomore Nick Villamil as well as two more service aces from Fan handed Vassar a three point advantage. Following a service error cut the VC lead to one at 8-7, the Brewers scored six straight points and was capped with a kill from Akoto. VC got to match point at 24-15 but the Blazers rattled off five straight points until a winner by Villamil earned Vassar a three set victory in the season opener. 

Guaragno led the team in kills with nine and added four digs. Lounsbery knocked down eight winners while lifting digs along with Akoto who chipped in seven kills, a service ace and a solo block. Fan buried six kills while adding four service aces and a team-high seven digs. J. Kim handed out a game-high 29 assists and also had two blocks for the Brewers.

Rodriquez had team-highs in kills with four along with digs with seven for Elms. Ryan Perry tallied three kills while Joshua Fernandez Garcia lifted seven digs. Lewis Torres led the Blazers in assists with eight and also had a service ace.

#4 STEVENS 3 #5 VASSAR 0
The Ducks raced out to an early 7-1 lead in the first set as Koby Sherman had two kills, Phillip Bone had a winner and Sherman and Christopher Varseveld combined for a block. Vassar chipped away throughout the set and cut the Stevens lead to 15-12 following three kills from senior Andrew Kim and two double blocks from J. Kim and senior Gavin van Beveren. After the Ducks expanded its lead back to 22-15, senior Adam Gulick had back to back service aces to trim the lead to four before a kill from Varseveld clinched the first set 25-19 victory for Stevens.

Stevens started the second set up 4-1 on two kills from Perry Bickford, one from Varseveld and a double block from Sherman and Varseveld. The Brewers trimmed the advantage down to two on a kill from A. Kim before the Ducks buried back-to-back winners from Sherman and Bone to go up 14-9. Two kills from Gulick reduced the advantage to 15-13 and then Vassar got within one at 19-18 following a kill from Guaragno and an ace from Gulick. The Ducks tallied five of the final six points of the second set as two kills as well as an ace from Sherman gave Stevens a 2-0 lead.

Stevens started hot in the third set once again as Sherman's two kills along with a killl from Bone gave them a 4-1 early lead. Following a VC service error to give the Ducks a three point advantage, Vassar scored five straight points as van Beveren buried a kill and then combined with Gulick for two blocks to give the Brewers a two point edge at 11-9. Stevens quickly answered with five straight winners of their own before a kill from van Beveren slowed the run at 14-12. The Ducks pushed its lead to 22-17 on a service ace by Connor Feulner before Vassar got within one at 24-23 on two kills from Gulick along with a double block from Fan and Akoto. Stevens earned match point on a kill from Sherman to take a three set victory.

Gulick tallied a game-high 14 kills while also adding three blocks, three aces and five digs. A. Kim finished with eight kills and four digs while van Beveren recorded four kills, two solo blocks and six block assists. J. Kim handed out a team-high 31 assists and chipped in two blocks and two digs.

Sherman led the Ducks in kills with 13 while also having four assists, four blocks and three digs. Bone added 11 kills while Feuner buried three aces and Varseveld chipped in five blocks. Louden Moran had a game-high 32 assists for Stevens.

Vassar will return to action on Wednesday as they will travel to Monroe College for a non-conference contest. First serve with the Mustangs is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.