UNION, N.J. – After falling to No. 2 Stevens earlier in the day, the No. 14 nationally ranked Endicott men's volleyball team defeated No. 4 Kean University in comeback fashion, 3-2, to earn a split at The Clash At Kean on Saturday evening.
Endicott's win over Kean tonight marks the highest nationally ranked opponent the Gulls have defeated in program history. The previous record was No. 6, which occurred against Carthage (1/17/09) and MIT (4/19/14, NCAA Tournament).
NO. 14 ENDICOTT 3, NO. 4 KEAN 2 (25-20, 23-25, 16-25, 25-13, 15-13)
Down 2-1 in the match, Endicott showed plenty of resolve in the fourth set by posting a match-high .391 hitting percentage (10 K, 1 E, 23 TA) to force a winner-take-all fifth set.
Set five didn't lack drama as both teams exchanged heavyweight punches all the way up until the score was deadlocked at 13-13. From there, Endicott completed the comeback victory with kills from Gabe Felicetti (Charleston, R.I.) and Bryn Lipton (Rockford, Ill.) to put an exclamation point on the historic win for the Gulls.
Felicetti and Lipton dominated the fifth set with four and three kills, respectively. The duo also combined for a .750 hitting percentage in the final frame.
Overall, Lipton finished with a match-high (tied) 14 kills, a .344 hitting percentage, and eight digs. Felicetti had eight kills (.333), three digs, and two block assists, while Jeremy Doski (Sandy Hook, Conn.) contributed seven kills, 19 assists, eight digs, and one block assist.
The Gulls also received key contributions from Donovan Dey (Fairport, N.Y.), Ryan Healy (Fair Lawn, N.J.), and Chad Riorden (Fairport, N.Y.) in the win. Dey notched six kills, two service aces, four digs and three blocks (one solo), Riorden compiled 19 assists and four digs, and Healy posted a match-high (tied) 13 digs.
NO. 2 STEVENS 3, NO. 14 ENDICOTT 1 (18-25, 15-25, 25-16, 18-25)
Dey paced the Gulls offensively with a match-high 14 kills on 23 swings for a .478 hitting percentage.
Lipton also chipped in with seven kills, while Felicetti and Doski contributed six and five kills, respectively. Along with his five kills, Doski added 20 assists and six digs to his stat line as well.
Despite the 3-1 outcome, the match was tightly contested throughout as it featured 25 ties and eight lead changes.
WHAT'S NEXT
No. 14 Endicott (3-2) hosts Nichols in conference action on Tuesday, February 12 at 7 PM.
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(Photo Credit - David Le '10)