BOSTON, MA - In one of the most thrilling NCAA Men's Volleyball Championship matches of all-time, the #8 Vassar College Men's Volleyball team punched its ticket to the Final Four on Saturday evening as the Brewers triumphed 27-25, 26-28, 25-20, 19-25, 18-16 over #3 Wentworth in the National Quarterfinals.
The Brewers will head to Dubuque, Iowa to square off with NYU in the National Semifinals on Friday evening at 8:30 p.m and Vassar will play in the Final Four for the second straight season.
FIRST SET
- Wentworth earned a 12-6 lead to begin the opening set behind the kills of Jacob LaBouliere and Jacob Waga.
- Vassar climbed back in the match at 17-14 on a kill from senior Vaughn Ramsey before the Leopards increased the lead to 19-14 on a LaBouliere winner.
- The Brewers tallied four straight points behind two kills each from senior Andrew Guaragno and first year Armaan Desai to trim the lead to 19-18.
- Three straight aces from junior Billy Fan evened the set at 24 all and Vassar completed the comeback with back-to-back kills from Ramsey.
SECOND SET
- Once again, the Leopards took an early 12-7 advantage before Vassar battled back to 15-13 after Ramsey's two winners.
- Sam Etter's winner expanded the lead to 17-14 until the Brewers evened the set at 19 on a winner from Desai.
- After Vassar took a one-point lead on a kil from Fan, the Leopards regained the lead at 21-20 on an ace from LaBouliere.
- Desai's kill evened the set at 26 apiece before Wentworth took two straight points on a service error and a kill from LaBouliere to take the second set.
THIRD SET
- Vassar took a 5-4 lead on a winner from junior Gavin Akoto before Wentworth countered with four of the next five points behind two kills from Waga.
- A solo block from Waga pushed the Leopards lead to 14-11 before Vassar scored three straight points, led by two kills from Guaragno and a block from Guaragno and Desai evened the set at 14.
- Following Nicolai Bell's kill that put Wentworth ahead 17-16, the Brewers used kills from Kim and Fan along with a block from Desai gave Vassar a 19-17 lead.
- Bell's winner tied the set at 19 before Vassar used two kills and a solo block from Kim to go ahead 23-20.
- A service ace from Kim along with a Wentworth attack error clinched the third set victory for Vassar.
FOURTH SET
- Wentworth held a 7-5 lead to open the set following two kills from Waga and one from LaBouliere.
- The lead was cut to 13-11 after kills from Kim and Akoto before it grew to 16-13 on a winner from LaBouliere.
- The Leopards expanded the lead to 22-17 after another Waga winner, a kill from Bell and an ace from Waga.
- Wentworth won the fourth set 25-18 after Waga and LaBouliere buried winners to send it to a deciding fifth set.
FIFTH SET
- Vassar took a 3-1 lead on a kill from Ramsey and a block from Ramsey and Akoto before Wentworth surged ahead 5-4 on a block from Bell and an ace from Waga.
- The Leopards advantage increased to 8-5 on a kill from Bell followed by a block from Bell and Josh Milke and an ace from Ryan Roller.
- Vassar drew within 10-9 on back-to-back winner from Akoto and Ramsey, forcing a Wentworth timeout.
- Wentworth connected on consecutive points following a kill and an ace from LaBouliere, leading to a Vassar timeout.
- After a Leopards service error and a block from Ramsey and Akoto, Vassar cut it to 12-11 and Wentworth used its second timeout.
- Vassar took a 13-12 lead following kills from Akoto and Ramsey until Wentworth drew even at 14 on a winner from Etter.
- Junior Tobias Clark landed the game-winning ace to push Vassar to the Final Four for the second straight season.
FOR THE BREWERS
- Ramsey buried a career-high 21 kills (.457) while Kim put together an incredible night with 15 kills, 29 assists, four digs.
- Desai recorded nine kills and three blocks along with Guaragno tallied eight winners, three digs and two blocks.
- Senior AJ Erickson handed out 27 assists while first year Tucker Shearn lifted a team-high 10 digs.
- Fan notched five kills, four aces and two digs for Vassar.
FOR THE LEOPARDS
- Waga buried a match-high 25 kills, two blocks, two aces and eight digs while LaBouliere had 14 kills, four aces, 10 digs and two blocks.
- Bell notched 10 kills and six blocks along with Brandon Dunz recorded eight kills and two blocks.
- Etter finished with six kills while Milke handed out 57 assists along with three blocks and seven digs.
- Mason Andrade lifted eight digs at libero.
UP NEXT
- Vassar will head to Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa to take on NYU in the Final Four on Friday night at 8:30 p.m.