Springfield, Mass. - February 27, 2016 - The Springfield College men's volleyball team picked up two wins by straight-sets on Saturday evening after it bested both Vassar and Lasell in Blake Arena.

The top-ranked Division III team in the country in the latest American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) National Coaches Poll, Springfield improves to 19-1 on the season, 16-0 against Division III teams. 

Springfield will play again on Tuesday heads to New Hampshire to face Rivier for a 7 pm contest. 

Springfield 3, Vassar 0 (25-18, 25-19, 25-15)

The Springfield College men's volleyball team hit .430 as a team as it picked up a three-set win over visiting Vassar in the Pride's first match of the day. Luis Garcia Rubio (Bayamon, Puerto Rico) collecteed 35 assists and a pair of aces to guide the Pride attack, which was led by Ricardo Padilla Ayala's (San Juan, Puerto Rico) 13 kills which came at a .600 clip.  Trevor Mattson (Redlands, Calif.) added 11 kills, five digs, and five blocks, and Kyle Jasuta (Manhattan Beach, Calif.) produced five blocks and six kills.  Luis Vega (Corozal, Puerto Rico) totaled a match-high 10 digs to go along with eight kills and two aces.

Despite a sluggish offensive start, Springfield earned a 10-7 advantage following a service ace by Garcia Rubio.  The Pride would push its lead to 15-9 on a solo block by Julian Welsh-White (Collingswood, N.J.), forcing the visitors in their first timeout of the afternoon.  The Brewers would get within 18-15 on a Springfield blocking error, but the hosts responded with a 5-1 surge, capped off by a block from Padilla Ayala and Jasuta to give the Pride a 23-16 cushion.  Springfield would later take the set, 25-18, with Mattson posting four kills to pace the Pride to the win.

Springfield's offense put on a show in the second set, totaling 17 kills at a remarkable .739 clip and the Pride totaled seven kills on its first seven swings to gain a 9-7 lead.  Holding a 12-11 lead, the Pride used a 7-1 push, capped off by a swing in the middle by Jasuta, to gain a comfortable 19-12 lead.  Springfield cruised to a 25-19 win, with Padilla Ayala leading the charge with six kills.

An ace from Welsh-White put Springfield ahead 6-3 in the third and a kill from Mattson in transition made it 9-4.  Springfield continued to dictate the pace of play, getting a huge back row kill from Padila Ayala to double its lead at 14-7.  Three-straight Pride attack errors would bring the Brewers within 16-13, but Springfield responded with a 6-2 surge, using a solo block from Mattson to force the Brewers into their final timeout of the match trailing 22-15.  The Pride would complete the sweep with a 25-15 following Vassar's seventh attack error of the frame.  

Springfield 3, Lasell 0 (25-14, 25-18, 25-12)

The Springfield College men's volleyball team made quick work of Lasell College in its second match of the day as it picked up another straight-set win.  The Pride hit .559 in the contest, with Mike Neary (Ventura, Calif.) delivering 34 assists in the win.  Jason Weedon (North Tustin, Calif.) led all players with 12 kills, seven digs, and two blocks, while Greg Woods (Middletown, Conn.) added 10 kills, hitting .643, to go along with two blocks and two aces.  Jonathon Rodriguez (Bayamon, Puerto Rico) racked up seven kills on eight errorless swings and four blocks, and Billy De La Espriella (Northridge, Calif.) registered seven digs, five kills, and two aces. 

Lasell's first block of the match put the visitors ahead, 7-5, to begin the first set, only to have the Pride put together six-straight points, highlighted by a pair of aces from Rodriguez and a solo block by Joseth Irizarry Feliciano (Adjuntas, Puerto Rico) to put the hosts up 11-7.  The visitors would get as close as 13-11, but another four-point burst, capped off by a block by Rodriguez and De La Espriella forced the visitors into a timeout down 17-11.  The Pride cruised to a 25-14 first set win as four players totaled three kills and the hosts hit .600 as a team.  

The Pride carried its offensive momentum into the second as it hit at a .571 clip.  The Pride stormed out to a 7-2 lead and would have its advantage balloon to 19-11 after Weedon hammered a ball in transition.  Woods totaled five kills in the set for Springfield, which hit .571.

Lasell jumped out to a 4-0 lead to start the third set and Springfield didn't waste any time burning a timeout.  The Pride answered back with a 9-2 burst, as three-straight Lasell attack errors put the Pride up 9-6.  The Pride continued to surge past the Lasers, extending its lead at 16-8 with consecutive aces by De La Espriella putting Springfield in control.  Weedon sealed the three-set win with his match-best 12th kill of the night to wrap up the 25-12 win.