Beverly, Mass. - March 5, 2022 - The Springfield College men's volleyball team bounced back with a pair of straight-set victories over Elmira and Endicott on Saturday afternoon.

After dropping its first match of the season early this week, the Pride earned two victories to improve to 15-1 on the year.  Springfield was ranked the top team in the country in the week's AVCA Division III National Poll.

Springfield will host Ramapo on Tuesday night at 7 pm in their next outing.

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Springfield 3, Elmira 0 (25-20, 25-19, 25-19)

In the three-set sweep of Elmira, Springfield hit .408 as a team.  The trio of Liam York (Kailua, Hawaii), Brennen Brandow (Manorville, N.Y.), and Jarrett Anderson (San Jose, Calif.) combined for 31 kills at a .508 hitting percentage, while Matt Lilley (Stony Brook, N.Y.) recorded 34 assists, six digs, and five blocks. 

Trailing 10-9 in the first, Springfield used a 5-0 burst to take control of the frame as Anderson delivered a pair of aces and a kill in the run.  A block from York and Stiven Topalli (Pogradec, Albania) allowed the Pride's lead to grow to 21-16, but three-straight miscues for Springfield pulled Elmira within 21-19.  York answered with a kill and Anderson followed with an ace to halt the Eagles momentum en route to the 25-20 win. 

Springfield broke open a 5-5 tie with a 6-1 surge that was capped off by consecutive aces from Giancarlo Carrion (Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico) as the lead grew to 11-6.  Elmira would battle back to make it an 18-all contest, but kills from York and Brandow forced the Eagles into a timeout.  Springfield would later seal the win with the final three points of the set, including a set-sealing block from Anderson and Troy Von Holt (Melville, N.Y.) at 25-19.

In the third, Springfield totaled 15 kills at a .520 clip as a team.  Leading 16-15, Anderson buried consecutive kills before Ethan Weislo (Orchard Park, N.Y.) delivered three-straight aces as the Pride seized control.  York capped off the victory with his match-best 12th kill in the 25-19 triumph. 

Springfield 3, Endicott 0 (25-14, 25-22, 25-15)

Springfield hit .377 and totaled 15 service aces in the three-set sweep. Jarrett Anderson blistered nine aces and seven kills to lead the way and Brennen Brandow totaled a team-best eight kills.  Nate Reynolds (Baltimore, Md.) had seven kills on eight errorless attempts to go along with three blocks, Johjan Mussa Robles (Caguas, Puerto Rico) registered 10 digs, and Matt Lilley notched 29 helpers. 

Behind a pair of early aces from Anderson, Springfield jumped out to a 7-0 lead to begin the match. A stuff block from Brandow would push the visitors cushion to 13-3, but three-straight errors by Springfield would pull Endicott with 17-9.  However, the Pride answered with the next three points and took the 25-14 win after a big swing from Chris Parker (East Northport, N.Y.).

The Pride got off to another fast start in the second, as an ace by Parker allowed Springfield to open up a 12-5 lead. Springfield would hit .500 in the frame and earn the 25-22 win following a kill from Brandow.

In the third, the Pride held a 5-4 edge before Anderson took over, ripping four aces as part of a 9-0 run to force the Gulls into a timeout at 14-4. Liam York would put the exclamation point in the win, hammering his sixth kill of the night in the 25-15 victory.