BOSTON, Mass. – The Lasell University men's volleyball team opened their season against Wentworth Institute of Technology falling 3-1 and 3-0 at Taney Gymnasium.
Game 1 – Wentworth 3 Lasell 1
Graduate Student Scott Sterenberg (Oceanside, N.Y.) lead the Lasers with 15 kills, with sophomore Brenden Joyce (Randolph, Mass.) and freshman Ryan Fuller (Wayland, Mass.) adding nine and eight kills respectively.
Joyce led Lasell with nine digs and sophomore Jesus Garcia (Honolulu, Hawaii) posted 32 assists.
The first set went to extra points with both teams trading points down the stretch with a kill by Joyce forcing the extended set. That would not be enough however as the Leopards would go onto win the set 30-28.
The second set was tighly contested as well with the largest lead held by either team being four. Lasell would score five out of the last six points started off with a kill by senior Aaron Waitekus (Norwood, Mass.) evening the game at one with a 25-23 score.
Lasell fell downs early in the third set but got the game as close as a point thanks to Fuller. It would not be enough as the Leopards would pull away late and won the set 25-17
The lasers would keep the match close until the middle of the match where they would find themselves down by seven. The Lasers would fight back with a kill by Sterenberg closing the gap to as low as four before Wentworth would go on to win the set 25-19.
Game 2 – Wentworth 3 Lasell 0
The Lasers started game two and the first set out hot jumping out to a six-point lead capped off with a service ace by senior Cobi Moore (Danville, N.H.). Wentworth would fight back keeping the game close before they pulled away late to win 25-23.
Lasell fell down early in the second set before fighting back towards the end on a block by both Waitekus and junior Brandon Hapgood (Wilbraham, Mass.). The late effort to get back in the game by the Lasers would unfortunately not be enough as they would fall 25-19.
The third set would start off closely contested before the Leopards would open up a seven-point lead halfway in. Lasell would batte back, cutting the lead to three on a block by Sterenberg and Waitekus. They would have another spurt cutting the lead to one on a service ace by Sterenberg but, the Leopards would gain the momentum back to win the set 25-22.
The Lasers will be at home Saturday, March 27, playing host to Wentworth in a double header with the first game starting at 12:00 P.M. and the second at 2:00 P.M.