NEWTON, Mass. – Facing up against one of the top teams in the country, Mount Ida College was dealt a 3-0 loss on Tuesday evening as the Mustangs couldn't match the firepower of #12 Lasell College in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) men's volleyball action at the Athletic Center.
With scores of 25-14, 25-8, 25-14, the Lasers improved to 18-4 on the year and 3-0 in the GNAC, while sending Mount Ida to a 10-11 mark (1-5 GNAC).
Peter Griffenkranz (Deer Park, N.Y.) led Mount Ida with five kills and Nelson Leadbetter (Athol, Mass.) made several acrobatic digs, but it wasn't enough to get by a Lasers team that hit .417 as a group and got 29 assists out of sophomore Andy Henriquez (Lawrence, Mass.).
The team leader in kills for the season, Tristan Davis (Rochester, N.Y.) earned that title again in this match, collecting nine kills, while Jeffrey Vautrin (Chicopee, Mass.) had six kills without an error and three of Lasell's eight service aces.
The visitors opened the match on a 6-1 run and never looked back. Mount Ida cut the lead to three, but an 11-7 run by Lasell opened up a double-digit advantage for the Lasers, who also saw Patrick MacDonald (Floral Park, N.Y.) slam seven kills and Jordan Aprea (Newington, Conn.) lead all players with 12 digs.
Freshman Kevin Vanderhorst (Lawrence, Mass.) put up seven assists in shared setting duties, while Griffenkranz served the only ace of the night for Mount Ida.
Lasell seized control of the second set by starting on a 16-5 run, and then went on a 15-3 spurt in the middle of the third set.
Laser sophomore Saunoa Afoa (Las Vegas, Nev.) had six kills and was in on three blocks in the win.
Mount Ida continues their four-game home-stand this week with another 6:00 pm match on Thursday evening, this time against the Lions of Emerson College.
The Lasers make the short trip back to Auburndale and prepare for a 7:00 pm game against Wentworth the same evening.