Poughkeepsie, N.Y. - February 26, 2022 - The Springfield College men's volleyball team earned a pair of victories on Saturday at Vassar College, pulling a reverse sweep over the host Brewers before cruising to a straight-set win over Illinois Tech. 

Springfield, which was the top-ranked team in the most recent AVCA Division III National Coaches Poll, is now 13-0 on the year.

The Pride will next travel to Lasell to play on Tuesday night at 7 pm.

Springfield 3, Vassar 2 (24-26, 19-25, 25-19, 25-22, 17-15)

After dropping the first two sets, Springfield was able to earn the reverse sweep over Vassar as it knocked of the Brewers, who entered the match ranked second in the nation.  It marked the second time this year that the Pride had prevailed in five sets over Vassar as Springfield hit .301 in the victory.  Jarrett Anderson (San Jose, Calif.) erupted for 25 kills, nine digs, four blocks and two aces, while Brennen Brandow (Manorville, N.Y.) turned in 15 kills.  Liam York (Kailua, Hawaii) added 10 kills, Matt Lilley (Stony Brook, N.Y.) was credited with 49 assists, and Johjan Mussa Robles (Caguas, Puerto Rico) notched 12 digs. 

Even at 20-all in the first, Vassar scored the next two points off Pride errors to take control, only to have Anderson team up with Nate Reynolds (Baltimore, Md.) for a huge block at 24-24.  However, out of a Vassar timeout, the hosts got a pair of timely kills to take a 26-24 win.

The Brewers hit .458 in the second set and raced out to an 8-4 lead as the Pride burned a timeout.  A block from Chris Parker (East Northport, N.Y.) and Anderson pulled the Pride within 15-13, only to have Vassar score the next five points as they cruised to a 25-19 victory.

Facing a 10-6 deficit in the third, Springfield settled in and powered past the Brewers with an 11-3 surge that was bookended by kills from Anderson.  Springfield pushed its lead to 20-15 when Reynolds and Lilley teammed up for a block and Lilley and Brandow sealed the 25-19 victory with another huge block on the pin in a set where the Pride hit .400. 

After three-straight Vassar attack errors gave the Pride an 11-8 lead, the hosts scored the next four points to regain the lead.  However, midway through the set Springfield manufactured a 7-2 surge, fueled by three kills from Anderson to open up a 21-18 lead.  The Brewers got within 23-22, but Brandow hammered a kill for set point an an ensuring attack error by the Brewers force the fifth set.  

In the fifth, Springfield led 11-8 after a kill from Anderson, but a 5-2 push by the hosts evened the frame at 13.  After Vassar fought off a pair of match points, Springfield benefitted from consecutive attack errors for the 17-15 win.

Springfield 3, Illinois Tech 0 (25-18, 25-14, 25-13)

Plenty of new faces saw the court in the second match of the doubleheader, but it was Brennen Brandow that led the offensive charge with 10 kills on 18 errorless attempts.  Ethan Weislo (Orchard Park, N.Y.) and Paolo Mondini (Bolingbrook, Ill.) combined for 26 assists in helping Springfield hit . 384 in the match.  The Pride limited Illinois Tech to a .014 hitting percentage in the test, with Johjan Mussa Robles totaling a match-best eight digs. 

Springfield got off to a slow start, trailing 11-7 in the opener before the Pride rattled off a 6-1 burst as an ace from Stiven Topalli (Pogradec, Albania) allowed the Pride to go up 13-12.  Springfield would use another 6-1 run to open up a 19-15 edge following an Illinois Tech attack error and complete the 25-18 win after a big swing from Brandow.

In the second, Springfield hit .478 as a team and stormed out to a 13-4 advantage following a Troy Von Holt (Melville, N.Y.) ace.  The Pride's lead would grow to 12 points as Giancarlo Carrion (Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico) ripped a kill at 22-10 and Springfield would take a 2-0 lead in the match as a service error by Illinois Tech gave them the 25-14 win. 

The Pride's offense continued to roll in the third, totaling 12 kills at a .522 clip as a kill from Liam York allowed the Pride to own a 15-5 edg. Holding Illinois Tech to a -.111 hitting percentage in the frame, Springfield would lead by as many as 15 points and seal the sweep on a kill by York at 25-13. 

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