NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Mount Ida men's volleyball returned to play after their spring break with a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) tri-match against Emerson and Albertus Magnus on Sunday afternoon.
After winning their first set of the day against the Lions, the Mustangs suffered a 3-1 defeat to Emerson, and then were swept by the host Falcons 3-0 to drop their overall record to 7-11 (1-4 GNAC).
Game 1: Emerson 3, Mount Ida 1
The Mustangs opened up by taking a close first set, 25-22, then saw Emerson even the match by an identical score. After dropping the third set 25-20, Emerson eked out a 27-25 win in the fourth set to seal the victory.
Sophomore setter Brady Rodriguez (Longwood, Mass.) set a season high by dishing out 52 assists in the four-set loss. Senior Nick Schibi (Torrington, Conn.) had a career-best 18 kills, and hit .438 for the match, while sophomore James Ames (W. Hartford, Conn.) pitched in 15 kills.
Jimmy Wessel (DeKalb, Ill.) had eight digs to lead Mount Ida defensively, while sophomore Dennis Miranda (Hialeah, Fla.) added eight kills, two service aces, and three block assists.
Jackson Wiley was a force for the Lions, racking up 22 kills with a .356 hitting percentage. Even more on point statistically was Dimitri Gorenc, who had 15 kills and made just three errors on 26 attempts (.462). Brendan McGonigle set up 42 assists and also had seven digs, three solo blocks and two assisted blocks for Emerson.
Game 2: Albertus Magnus 3, Mount Ida 0
Ames had six kills and seven digs for the Mustangs, but Mount Ida dropped three straight games by scores of 25-14, 25-21, 25-19.
Rodriguez managed nine assists and five digs, while Miranda and Nick Melillo (North Haven, Conn.) each had three kills.
Albertus Magnus was led by 13 kills from Raul Rivera Rojas, and 29 assists by setter Douglas DeSousa. Raymond Torres dug out 17 balls to lead all players defensively.
The Mustangs return to action on an extended road trip, as they will travel to Boston on Tuesday for a 7:00 pm GNAC matchup against Wentworth.