Springfield, Mass. - February 5, 2022 - The Springfield College men's volleyball team claimed the International Volleyball Hall of Fame Morgan Classic Championship on Saturday night in a straight-set triumph over Endicott.  The Pride won by the scores of 25-17, 25-16, 25-18.

Springfield, which is the top-ranked squad in the latest AVCA Division III National Coaches Poll, improved to 7-0 on the season.  Appearing in its 10th-straight Morgan Classic Championship match, this marks the seventh time, and sixth consecutive, in the 34-year history of the tournament that Springfield has been crowned the champion.  Endicott dropped to 4-1 with the loss. 

Jarrett Anderson (San Jose, Calif.) was named the Most Outstanding Player as he recorded a match-high 11 kills, hitting .467, to go along with seven digs, six aces, and three blocks.  Matt Lilley (Stony Brook, N.Y.) and Johjan Mussa Robles (Caguas, Puerto Rico) also earned All-Tournament Team honors as Lilley handed out 34 assists to pace the Pride to a .419 team hitting percentage and Mussa Robles added six digs.  

The hosts set the tone from the end line to begin the match as they ripped nine aces in the opening frame en route to a 25-17 win.  Anderson strung together four-straight midway through the set to give the Pride a 14-9 lead before Brennen Brandow (Manorville, N.Y.) ripped a ball down the line to make it 18-11 following an Endicott timeout. Anderson closed out the set with his sixth ace of the evening to complete a frame where the Pride hit .471, fueled by five kills from Liam York (Kailua, Hawaii).

Springfield jumped out to a 4-0 lead as the spurt was bookended by triple blocks from York, Anderson, and Nate Reynolds (Baltimore, Md.).  A kill from Chris Parker (East Northport, N.Y.) in transition forced the Gulls into a timeout at 13-8, but the visitors would battle back to within 16-13.  However, Springfield closed out the set on a 9-3 surge, as Anderson had two of his four kills in the set and sealed the 25-16 victory combining for a block with Parker. 

Holding onto a 9-8 lead in the third, Springfield scored 11 of the next 14 points to have their lead balloon to 20-11 on a kill by Parker. Anderson would put away his fifth kill of the set on match point to give the Pride the 25-18 win and complete the sweep.

Next up for Springfield will be a home match versus Nichols on Thursday at 7 pm.

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All-Classic Team
Vassar - Matt Usui
NYU - Lucas Osiecki
Endicott - Rafa Robert
Endicott - Nikolas Kasprzak
Springfield - Johjan Mussa Robles
Springfield - Matt Lilley
Springfield - Jarrett Anderson (MOP)