The Mount Ida College men's volleyball team captured a runner-up finish at the Bard College Tournament in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York over the weekend with 3-0 sweep victories over non-conference Sage College (3-0, 25-20, 25-18, 26-24) and Medgar Evers College (3-0, 25-8, 25-12, 25-17) on Friday evening. The Mustangs fell to the hosting Raptors in the championship game of the tournament falling 3-0 by scores of 23-25, 15-25, and 19-25 on Saturday. The Mustangs improve to an overall record 5-11 and remain at 1-7 in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) play.
Mount Ida senior captain Thomas Belton (Springfield, MA/Springfield Central) and sophomore captain Spencer Hastings (Orlando, FL/Timber Creak) were selected to the Bard College All-Tournament team for their outstanding play throughout the weekend.
In the opening match of the tournament for the Mustangs, Mount Ida captured a 3-0 sweep over Sage College by scores of 25-20, 25-18, and 26-24. Hastings and Belton were the offensive threat with Belton notching 13 kills on 28 attempts with only four errors also adding three solo blocks and six digs. Hastings wasn't far behind with nine kills on 21 attempts along with 10 digs and a block assist. Senior Shane Wilson (Gloucester, MA/Gloucester) dished out 28 assists in the effort.
In match two on Friday; Mount Ida captured their second victory, this time over visiting non-conference Medgar Evers College, winning by scores of 25-8, 25-12, and 25-17. Belton added another stellar performance with a team high seven kills on nine attempts with only one error (.667%). Hastings chipped in five kills and four service aces while junior McCoy Arnoux (Brockton, MA/Brockton) hammered six kills on eight attempts (.500%) adding three service aces. Wilson dished out 15 assists while fellow setter/libero Ricky Oliveira (New Bedford, MA/New Bedford) added nine assists.
In the championship match against hosting Bard College, the Mustangs fell 3-0 by scores 23-25, 15-25, and 19-25 coming in second place, their best finish ever since they scheduled the tournament the past three seasons.
Hastings and Belton again led the Mustangs offensively with a combine 23 kills. Hastings was again outstanding in the back row with eight digs and also tallied a solo block and three block assists. Wilson dished out 20 assists respectively.
Mount Ida will dive back into GNAC action and will travel to hosting Albertus Magnus College Tuesday evening in New Haven, Connecticut.