It may have been April Fools’ Day, but the Emerson men’s volleyball team’s duel against nationally-ranked Wentworth Institute of Technology was no joke. Despite an energetic third set, the Lions lost to the No. 9 Leopards 3-0 Tuesday.
Wentworth began the opening set by scoring three quick points before the Lions got on the board. Kills by sophomore setter Stanley Yu and junior outside hitter Theo Hackett got Emerson within one, but the Leopards sprinted out to an early lead through a balanced offensive attack. Wentworth soon led 15-6 behind various Emerson errors, and went on to take the first set, 25-10.
The Lions got off to a solid start in the second set, tying it at nine off of a block by Hackett and junior middle blocker Liam Higgins. The Leopards then went on a 6-2 run for a 15-11 advantage, but the Lions kept up behind contributions from Wentworth errors and contributions from junior outside hitter Chase Fagen and first-year middle blocker Cash Muse. A Leopard service error got the Lions within five, but Wentworth closed it out with three straight points, including a set-winning ace for a 25-17 victory.
The Lions and Leopards exchanged points to begin the third set, including an error by Muse in which his serve hit sophomore right side hitter and Beacon photographer Riley Goldman in the back, giving the visitors a 3-2 lead. A couple more Emerson errors put Wentworth up three before momentum swung the Lions’ way. After a Higgins kill brought Emerson within one, consecutive Fagen aces put the Lions on top, 7-6. Another ace by Fagen and an error by Wentworth gave the Lions a 9-6 lead, and the home side soon led 11-7 after a spike by Muse.
Then came Wentworth. After the Lions built up a 13-10 lead, a series of Emerson errors and a Leopard swat put the visitors up 14-13. Both sides then held brief two-point leads throughout the set, with kills by Fagen and Hackett tying it at 20. Wentworth scored three unanswered points before committing a service error to keep the Lions’ chances alive. Both sides exchanged service errors before a Wentworth kill won them the set and the game. The Lions put up a fight against the nationally-ranked Leopards, but ultimately fell 25-22.
Fagen led the Lions with eight kills, while Hackett finished with seven and Muse with four. Fagen also had a team-high four aces, while Higgins recorded three blocks and Beck dished set up 17 assists.
“I think we really turned it up in the third set,” Fagen said postgame. “We had a lot more aggression than we usually see. There’s a few balls that people hit that [were] super, super aggressive.”
“Going into the first and second [sets], we felt a little down,” he added when discussing the challenge of facing the Leopards, who have won five conference championships in the last decade. “Obviously, Wentworth is the top team in our conference. They are the powerhouse team, but this is our opportunity to play against a team like that and go all out. And I think that’s something we’re still learning how to do: learning how to compete with a top team and leaving it all out on the court.”
The last meeting between these teams also ended in a Wentworth sweep, but this time, Fagen believed defense was a difference-maker.
“Our defense got a lot scrappier,” he said. “We had some crazy blocks, we had some really good swings. We were just there with them for a little bit, and I think we didn’t see that [in] the last game with our offense.”
The Lions are already accustomed to battles against nationally-ranked opponents, and Fagen believes their confidence only grows as the games and season continue
“We just tend to start off with less confidence, and I think we’ve built it up as we go,” Fagen said. “The fact that there’s nothing to lose increases, and then once you’re in the third set, it’s like, ‘If we don’t win this set, we don’t get to keep playing volleyball.’ So why not put everything on the court? Why not try as hard as you can?”
Now at 8-14 overall and 4-7 in the GNAC, the Lions continue their playoff push at Regis College on April 3 at 7 p.m. Fagen believes the team’s offense can improve against another top-five team in the conference, all while keeping the same energy.
“I think we’re gonna see our offense be more effective,” he said. “Their block is a little bit lower, so we get more attempts there. But I think bringing this same heat to that game, we’re gonna do some damage.”
