Union, NJ - The #6 Vassar College Men's Volleyball team earned two victories at the Clash at Kean on Saturday as the Brewers defeated #9 Wentworth 25-21, 23-25, 25-14, 25-19 in a rematch of last season's National Quarterfinal and then swept New Jersey City University 25-14, 25-14, 25-19 in the nightcap. Vassar's record improves to 3-0 on the season.

Vassar 3 Wentworth 1

First Set

• VC took an early 7-4 lead as the Brewers were spurred by two kills from senior Gavin Akoto, a winner from sophomore Armaan Desai and a block from junior Cannon Tucker and Desai.
• The Leopards battled back to take an 11-10 lead on a kill from Andrew Ahn before the Brewers regained a 13-12 lead on a winner from senior Billy Fan and first year Shawn Zheng.
• Three winners from sophomore Walter Birnbaum along with a block from Tucker and Fan pushed the Brewers ahead 19-15.
• Wentworth cut the lead down to 21-20 after a kill each from Ahn and Josh Milke and an ace from Ryan Roller.
• The Brewers used two kills from Desai and one each from Zheng and Fan in the final points to take the opening set.

Second Set

• Following a 6-6 opening to the second set, four straight points from Vassar on an ace from Desai and a block from Akoto and Tucker put the Brewers ahead 10-6.
• The Leopards trimmed the lead down to 12-11 on kills from Connor Foxwell and Jacob Waga and a solo block from Nicolai Bell.
• VC extended its lead to 17-12 on a solo block from Desai until Wentworth countered with 9-1 run, led by blocks from Milke, Bell and Sam Etter.
• Back-to-back winners from senior Payne Lounsbery and Birnbaum evened the set at 21 for the Brewers.
• The Leopards used a kill each from Etter and Bell along with a service ace from Etter to even the match at one set apiece.

Third Set 

• After Wentworth took the first two points of the set, Vassar rattled off nine of the next 10 points as three different Brewers buried a kill along with Birnbaum adding an ace and Akoto, Desai and Fan all registering a block.
• The Vassar lead ballooned to 15-5 on a kill each from Desai, Birnbaum and first year Henry Bonney.
• Wentworth got within 21-14 following two kills from Foxwell and one each from Alem Dubcak and Etter.
• Vassar closed the set with the final four points as Fan recorded two aces along with Desai and Fan each burying a kill.

Fourth Set

• VC surged ahead 7-4 to begin the set as Desai collected a kill and a block along with a winner from Fan.
• Wentworth cut the lead down to 11-9 on a Bell winner and got within one at 14-13 on a Mason Andrade kill.
• The Brewers extended its lead to 21-15 after two kills from Birnbaum and a winner and solo rejection from Bonney.
• The Leopards got as close as 24-19 before VC took the four-set victory on a Wentworth service error.

For The Brewers

• Birnbaum buried a match-high 13 kills, three blocks and nine digs while Fan recorded eight kills, three aces, three blocks and six digs.
• Desai finished with seven kills and six blocks (three solo) along with Akoto adding six kills, four blocks and four digs.
• Zheng registered six kills and four digs while sophomore Parker Schoenl handed out a team-high 19 assists and lifted five digs.
• Senior Nick Villamil added 15 assists and three digs while sophomore Tucker Shearn recorded seven digs.

For The Leopards

• Etter tallied a team-high 11 kills and eight digs while Waga recorded eight kills and six digs.
• Bell registered five kills and two blocks along with Foxwell, Ahn and Dubcak burying four kills.
• Milke handed out a team-high 25 assists and added two blocks while Brayden Green added 14 assists.

Vassar 3 NJCU 0

First Set

• Vassar took an early 5-3 lead following two kills from senior Tobias Clark and a solo block from junior Doug Chandler.
• An ace from Chandler followed by a kill from junior James Zuckerman extended the Vassar advantage to 13-7.
• NJCU got within 14-11 on a solo block from Matt Peralta before six of the next seven points came from the Brewers behind a kill and ace from Zuckerman along with a winner from Lounsbery.
• The Brewers tallied the final three points of the set, led by an ace from Chandler, to take the opening set.

Second Set

• The Brewers used a kill and an ace from junior Eli Lee and two winners from Zheng to take a 7-4 lead.
• The Gothic Knights drew even at seven following an ace from Peralta before the lead ballooned to 16-11 after a kill each from Lee and Chandler and a solo block from Clark.
• A kill from Justin Walker trimmed the lead to 19-13 until VC closed the set with the final four points, led by two aces from Lounsbery.

Third Set

• VC got off to a quick start again in the third set as a kill apiece from Zheng and first year Stuart Dow along with an ace from Clark put the Brewers on top 6-3.
• The lead expanded to 14-9 as Lee buried two winners followed by a block from Zheng and junior Tristan Christofferson.
• Consecutive kills from NJCU's Nate Aguilar and Marcus Pardasie trimmed the lead down to 20-14.
• The Gothic Knights got within 24-19 after a kill each from Pardasie and Peralta before Dow buried the clinching kill.

For The Brewers

• Zheng tallied a team-high seven kills and two blocks while Lee recorded six kills and an ace.
• Clark added four winners, five digs and a block along with Lounsbery finishing with three kills, 11 assists and four aces.
• Chandler registered three kills, two aces and three blocks while Villamil added eight assists and four digs.
• Junior Casey McMenamin lifted five digs and handed out two assists.

For The Gothic Knights

• Pardasie and Walker each tallied six kills while Peralta finished with five kills and a block.
• Alex Casais tallied 19 assists, two blocks and two digs along with Erick Bacuilima lifting five digs.

Up Next

• Vassar will begin its home schedule on Friday evening as the Brewers will take on SUNY Potsdam at 6:00 p.m. in Kenyon Hall.