Fullerton, Calif. - January 16, 2015 - Despite a career performance from Ryan Malone (Chicopee, Mass.), the Springfield College men's volleyball team let a two-set lead slip away as it was defeated by Hope International on Friday evening in its season-opener. 

The Royals prevailed by the scores of 22-25, 19-25, 25-19, 33-31, 15-7.  The Pride started off its season on the West Coast for the sixth straight season. 

Springfield, which is the three-time defending NCAA Division III National Champion, entered the season ranked third in the AVCA Division III Preseason National Coaches Poll.

Malone had a standout match on the outside for Springfield, registering a career-best 19 kills while hitting .464 to go along with six digs and five blocks.  Angel Perez (Naranjito, Puerto Rico) added 11 kills and nine digs, while Greg Woods (Middletown, Conn.) also chipped in 11 kills and five blocks.  Keaton Pieper (Dallas, Texas) directed the offense as he dished out 52 assists and Matthew Peretto (Vallejo, Calif.) was credited with a match-high 14 digs.  In his first collegiate match, Joseth Irizarry Feliciano (Adjuntas, Puerto Rico) came off the bench to register six blocks.

As a team, Springfield hit .233 in the match and recorded 16.0 blocks, however, the Pride committed 20 service errors on the evening.

Springfield raced out to a 9-2 advantage in the opening set of the season behind a pair of kills and an ace from Sean Zuvich (San Pedro, Calif.).  Hope International would battle back, scoring 10 of the next 15 points in the set to climb within 14-12 and force the Pride into the timeout.  Out of the break, Shaun Ermi (Rush, N.Y.) connected for consecutive kills in the middle to kickstart a 9-4 surge that put Springfield in command up 23-16.  The hosts answered with 6-1 run to close within 24-22, but a Royals error gave the Pride a 25-22 win.  Malone and Zuvich paced Springfield with four kills each in the frame.

Facing a 9-6 deficit in the second set, Springfield poured on a 7-1 run behind the outstanding play of Malone and Woods, who combined for five kills.   The teams went back-and-forth until the Pride broke open an 18-18 tie with a 5-0 run, highlighted by a pair of Jason Mascoe (Uniondale, N.Y.) blocks.  Malone then sealed the set with an ace, capping off a frame in which Springfield hit .435.

The third set was a different story offensively for the Pride, as it managed to hit just .111 in the stanza.  After falling behind 7-3, Springfield used a 5-2 push, with another Ermi kill making it a 10-8 game in favor of the hosts.  HIU answered back with a six of the next eight points to seize momentum, ultimately taking the frame, 25-19.

The fourth set was a marathon that featured 16 ties.  Springfield was unable to cash in on three match points, the last coming after Woods hammered a ball to put the visitors ahead 29-28.  Three Springfield errors in the next four points gave HIU a 31-30 lead that it would later turn into a 33-31 victory.

After a kill from Perez put Springfield ahead 3-2 early in the fifth, the Royals took over with 6-1 push to take an 8-4 lead at the switch.  Springfield, which hit -.059 in the fifth set, got no closer than three the rest of the way as Hope International completed the comeback with a 15-7 win.

Springfield will play two matches on Saturday, beginning with Concordia Irvine at 1:00 pm PST before taking on Hope International against at 7:00 PST.