Costa Mesa, Calif. - January 18, 2020 - Competing against Vanguard University for the second time on Saturday, the Springfield College men's volleyball team suffered a five-set loss to the first-year NAIA program. 

After previously besting the Lions in straight-sets earlier in the afternoon, Springfield fell by the scores of 26-24, 19-25, 26-24, 24-26, 15-13.  Ranked No. 2 in the AVCA Division III Preseason National Poll, Springfield is now 1-1 on the season. 

Brennen Brandow (Manorville, N.Y.) matched his career-high as he turned in 24 kills, hitting .372, to go along with eight digs and five service aces, while first-year  Jarrett Anderson (San Jose, Calif.) registered 21 kills on the right side and added seven digs, four blocks, and three aces. Matt Lilley (Stony Brook, N.Y.) totaled 47 assists and 12 digs and Chris Parker (East Northport, N.Y.) was credited with six blocks.

 In the opening set, an ace down the line from Astin Sesoko (Corona, Calif.) gave the Pride a 10-6 lead as Vanguard burned an early timeout.   The lead would grow to 11-6 on a kill from Anderson in transition, but the Lions would rattle off five-straight points to even the frame at 11-all. Brandow would later rip his third ace of the frame to make it an 18-18 contest and Springfield would gain set point at 24-23 on a kill from Brandow, only to have the hosts benefit from three-straight Pride miscues to pull out the 26-24 win.

Back-to-back blocks from Parker allowed the Pride to gain an 8-5 cushion in the second and Vanguard would whistle for a timeout trailing 14-10 following an ace by Parker.  After the hosts pulled even with four-straight points, Springfield would regain a 21-16 edge following back-to-back aces from Anderson and the Pride would take a 25-19 win on Brandow's 13th kill of the night.  

Brandow ripped a kill off the block to give the Pride a 4-0 lead in the third set and Anderson would later hammer a ball down the line for the 15-11 advantage.   Vanguard would battle their way to take a 19-18 lead as the Pride called for a timeout, and Springfield would regain a 21-20 edge when Anderson swiped a kill off the block.  However, the hosts would be too strong down the stretch and take the third set, 26-24.

Springfield rattled off three-consecutive points, getting another ace from Brandow to take a 3-1 edge early in the fourth, only to have Vanguard respond with an 8-3 push to open up a 9-6 cushion as Springfield burned a timeout.  The Pride would pull within 12-11 on another kill from Anderson, and despite falling behind by as many as three points, would earn a 20-19 lead when Anderson and Thomas Wollweber (Oceanside, Calif.) sealed for a block on the pin as the Lions called for timeout.  The Lions would go on to gain a pair of match points at 24-22, but consecutive attack errors by the hosts, thanks to a huge block from Lilley and Parker, would even things at 24-all.   Coming out of a timeout, Anderson blistered an ace and then ripped a cross-court kill in transition for the 26-24 win. 

Brandow pumped in another ace as Springfield opened up a quick 3-1 lead in the fifth before three-straight Springfield errors gave Vanguard an 8-5 lead at the switch.  Brandow would register three kills as part of a 6-2 burst to put the Pride back on top, 11-10, as Vanguard whistled for a timeout. The Lions then answered with two-straight kills to regain a lead for good, and despite the Pride getting as close as 14-13 on a kill from Anderson, but the Lions would hang on for the 15-13 win. 

Springfield will open up Division III competition when it hosts Sage and Elmira in a tri-match starting at 1:00 pm.

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