March 10, 2009
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - The Endicott College men's volleyball team was defeated 3-0 by Harvard University on Tuesday night in Cambridge, Mass.. Harvard limited the Gulls to a .096 hitting percentage in winning, 30-25, 30-23, 30-24, as the Crimson ran its winning streak to three and won its fourth match out of the past five. Endicott drops to 19-8 (11-0 NECVA) while Harvard improves to 6-5 overall.
Harvard gained the first two points of the opening set, but the Crimson was unable to build on the lead, as the Gulls eventually gained a three-point advantage twice and then went up by two at 13-11 on a kill by Jordan Durant (Honolulu, Hawaii). From there the Crimson took over the match. With junior Erik Kuld on serve, the Crimson would go from a 13-11 deficit to a 21-13 lead, thanks in part to three kills and a block by Matt Jones. Endicott would get back into the match, though, as the Gulls captured six points within a seven-serve span to trim Harvard's lead to three, 22-19. Harvard didn't let the Gulls get any closer than two the rest of the way, as Brady Weissbourd slammed down a kill to give the Crimson the 30-25 win.
Endicott kept pace in the second set, as Harvard's early 1-0 lead soon evaporated into a two-point lead for the visitors at 9-7. Sophomore Shaun Mansour and Weissbourd blocked an attack by Feldman to put Harvard back up by one, 14-13, but the Gulls responded by taking the next five points to go up, 18-14, forcing a Harvard timeout. Harvard would come out swinging after the stoppage of play, as Weissbourd compiled two of his three match service aces during a five-point Harvard swing. After a kill by Brent Feldman (West Palm Beach, Fla.) momentarily stopped Harvard's momentum, the Crimson grabbed the next three points to go up, 22-19. Endicott cut the lead to one at 22-21 and then again to two at 25-23, but Harvard won five straight points for the match win. A block by Weissbourd and junior Soren Rosier was followed by another by Weissborud and Jones. Kuld's service ace then sealed the deal and the 30-23 win.
Unlike the first two sets, Harvard jumped out into the lead in the third and maintained it throughout, as a 5-4 Crimson advantage was extended to 11-6 on a kill by Weissbourd. Senior Jeff Nathan posted a kill to put Harvard up, 13-8, and then put Harvard up by six as he and Weissbourd blocked an Endicott attack for a 15-9 edge. Harvard got the lead to seven at 20-13 on a kill by Kuld, but Endicott was able to whittle it down to four, 20-16. Endicott would not go quietly, as the Gulls were able to get to within three at 24-21 and then again at 25-22. Gil Weintraub's solo block of an attack by John Emery (Westford, Mass.) got Harvard back up to five at 27-22, and Weissbourd slammed down his ninth and 10th kills of the set to give Harvard the 30-24 match win.
Senior Brady Weissbourd had another strong showing for the Crimson, posting 20 kills with only four errors on 29 attacks as he hit .552 on the night, his fifth-straight match with at least 20 kills. Weissbourd also had match-highs with 26 points and six blocks along with a team-high nine digs. Freshman Matt Jones chipped in with 12 kills, six digs and three blocks, while junior Gil Weintraub handed out 45 assists with five digs and three blocks as Harvard out-blocked the Gulls, 10-3, and limited them to only one service ace. Brent Feldman, A.J. Witkofsky (Scotia, N.Y.) and John Emery, who each knocked home six kills, led the way for Endicott.
The Gulls return to action on Thursday as they host Elms in a NECVA New England Division matchup at 7:00 p.m. Harvard will get a short rest before hitting the road to take on Princeton Friday at 7:00 p.m. followed by East Stroudsburg Saturday at 2:00 p.m.
