The men’s volleyball team lost its first home conference game of the season in straight sets to the Wentworth Institute of Technology on Thursday.
The Lions led the first set 1-0 after an attack error by Wentworth. After Wentworth took the lead with two kills, the Lions tied the set at 2-2 following a service error. Wentworth recorded another kill, and Emerson tied the score again after another service error from Wentworth.
Wentworth then went on a run and took the lead for the rest of the set. Sophomore setter Josh Elliot said Wentworth’s height forced him to play out of position as an outside hitter.
“This was the best team in our conference, and they’re also one of the best in the country this year,” Elliot said in a post-game interview.
Wentworth won the set 25-15.
Two kills and an error by the Lions gave Wentworth an early lead in the second set. The Lions recorded seven kills in the set from junior middle blocker Samuel Willinger, freshman middle blocker Parker Gray, and Elliot. Wentworth won the set 25-10.
Wentworth opened the third set with two points on a kill and a ball-handling error by the Lions. The Lions answered with two points from a service error and a kill from Willinger. Wentworth pulled into the lead and never lost it, winning the set 25-8.
Wentworth played its bench players in the third set, but the Lions lost the set by the largest margin of the match.
“The last set was a lot of their bench guys,” Elliot said. “We definitely should have been able to take the last set from them I think.”
Wentworth totaled ten serving errors in the match, two more than the Lions.
“They’re very aggressive, and that’s where some of their errors came from on the server line and attack errors,” head coach Ben Read said in a post-game interview.
Emerson landed a total of 16 kills against Wentworth spread between Elliot, Gray, and Willinger, who each recorded five. Sophomore outside hitter Danny Darress also recorded one kill.
“Everyone can contribute,” Read said. “I think we also have to identify who could be successful in certain rotations against blockers who give us a better chance of scoring already.”
The Lions play St. Joseph’s College in a non-conference match at home on Feb. 21 at 7 p.m.
