Irvine, Calif - January 16, 2016 - The Springfield College men's volleyball team wrapped up its trip to California as it split a pair of five-set matches with Concordia Irvine and Hope International on Saturday.

The Pride dropped a five-set match to Concordia by the scores of 25-21, 23-25, 23-25, 25-23, 19-17 before knocking off Hope International for the second-straight night in five sets, 25-20, 17-25, 23-25, 25-16, 15-12.

Opening up the season on the West Coast for the seventh-straight year, Springfield is currently the top-ranked Division III team in the country according to the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) National Coaches Preseason Poll.

The Pride will play it's first match of the season against a Division III opponent on Friday, January 22 when it takes on Lasell and Cairn at the Johnson and Wales Tip Off Tournament.

Concordia Irvine 3, Springfield College 2

Luis Vega (Corozal, Puerto Rico) and Ricardo Padilla Ayala (San Juan, Puerto Rico) shouldered the offensive load in the match as they combined for 45 kills in the setback. Vega pounded out 25 kills to go along with four blocks, while Padilla Ayala registered a career-high 20 kills at a .405 clip to go along with nine digs.   Greg Woods (Middletown, Conn.) was the only other player in double figures in the kill column for the Pride as he totaled 14.

Luis Garcia Rubio (Bayamon, Puerto Rico) dished out a career-best 64 assists as he led the Pride to a .270 hitting percentage.  Joseth Irizarry Feliciano (Adjuntas, Puerto Rico) notched a career-high nine block assists, and  Eli Irizarry (Chesapeake, Va.) delivered nine digs on the defensive side of the ball.

Springfield College 3, Hope International 2

The Pride used a strong team effort to earn its second win of its West Coast trip with, besting HIU in five sets for the second time in as many days.  Springfield totaled 24 more kills than the Royals did, delivered 10 service aces, and finished the evening with 17.0 team blocks. 

Vega once again led the way, stuffing his stat line with a match-best 15 kills to go along with eight digs, four aces, and three blocks.  Woods added 14 kills, eight of which came in the opening set, and Trevor Mattson (Redlands, Calif.) once again produced off the bench for the Pride, recording a career-high 10 kills and four blocks, hitting .389, in three sets.  

Padilla Ayala had 12 digs, nine kills, four aces, and three blocks, and Julian Welsh-White (Collingswood, N.J.) had his best game in a Springfield uniform with six blocks and nine kills which came at a .800 clip.  In his first collegiate start, Jonathon Rodriguez (Bayamon, Puerto Rico) racked up eight blocks and Garcia Rubio led a Springfield offense that hit .317 with 55 assists.