Wednesday, February 6, 2013 (Newton, Massachusetts) - The Mount Ida College men's volleyball team snapped a three-game winning streak Wednesday evening in Newton, Massachusetts dropping a 3-0 loss to visiting #13 M.I.T. in non-conference play by scores of 25-11, 25-16 and 25-15. The hosts had a difficult time keeping the ball in play offensively with a -.033 hitting percentage for the match along with 10 service errors.
The Mustangs, who have already attained three times the amount of wins from last season, fall to an overall record of 3-3 and have yet to compete in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) match-up while the visitors improve to 6-5 for the year.
Mount Ida saw three players with five kills each led by senior outside hitter Spencer Hastings (Orlando, FL/Timber Creak) also tallying a team-high seven digs along with a service ace. Junior Nick Schibi (Torrington, CT/O. Wolcott Regional) and freshman middle hitter Justin Rhoden (Corona, CA/Corona Centennial) matched Hastings kill total with Rhoden also adding three digs and a block assist. Freshman setter Brady Rodriguez (Longwood, FL/Bishop Moore) continues to improve in his new role dishing out a game-high 19 assists while freshman James Ames (West Hartford, CT/Conard) notched two service aces.
The nationally ranked (#13) Engineers saw a game-high 11 kills on 22 attempts with only four errors as well as four digs and a block assist. Junior Paul Syta (Fairport, NY/Fairport) ran the offense for the visitors distributing 14 assists while sophomore middle hitter Andrew Busse (Mount Prospect, IL/Prospect) notched a game-high three solo blocks. Freshman libero Brendan Chang (Laytonsville, MD/Richard Montgomery) recorded nine digs respectively.
The Mustangs fell behind early in game one giving the visitors a commanding 13-3 lead capped on a block by Busse. A 13-11 run by the Engineers closed out the opening 25-11 victory for the 1-0 advantage following a sophomore Chris Omahan (Mount Vernon, OH/Mount Vernon) kill to finalize the frame.
Mount Ida looked stronger in game two leading 2-1 through the first couple of points following a successful kill by Hastings. The action went back-and-forth with M.I.T. eventually overtaking a small 13-11 advantage. The Engineers slowly crept away from the hosts finishing off a 12-5 run closing out a 25-16 win to lead 2-0 for the match.
All the momentum was in favor of the visitors powering through the opening of game three to grasp an 18-9 lead capped on a kill from sophomore opposite hitter Tyler Nolan (Sayville, NY/Sayville). A 7-4 run by M.I.T. sealed off the 3-0 non-league victory winning the final stanza by a score of 25-15.
Barring a possible cancellation due to a massive blizzard heading towards New England this weekend, the Mustangs will travel to their first tri-match of the season hosted by Newbury College Sunday afternoon starting at 12:00 p.m. Mount Ida will also face visiting Wentworth Institute of Technology at 2:00 p.m. The Engineers will take on non-league Harvard University Saturday afternoon in Cambridge, Massachusetts with the match set to serve at 4:00 p.m.