Springfield, Mass. - February 11, 2023 - The Springfield College men's volleyball team won the International Volleyball Hall of Fame Morgan Classic Championship on Saturday night in a straight-set victory over nationally-ranked NYU.  The Pride won by the scores of 25-21, 25-22, 25-17.

Springfield, which was ranked third in the latest AVCA Division III National Coaches Poll, improved to 10-1 on the season.  Appearing in its 11th-straight Morgan Classic Championship match, this marks the eighth time, and seventh straight time in the 35-year history of the tournament that Springfield has been crowned the champion. The loss dropped the 11th-ranked Violets to 7-2.

For the second-straight year, Jarrett Anderson (San Jose, Calif.) was named the Most Outstanding Player as he produced a team-best 11 kills on a .423 hitting percentage to go along with 10 digs, four aces and two blocks.  Dylan Mulvaney (Reston, Va.) had 32 assists in helping the Pride hit .427 and Chris Rouleau (Bay Shore, N.Y.) added seven kills and two blocks in the middle as the duo also earned All-Tournament Team honors. 

Springfield went down 10-7 in the first following an overpass kill and called for an early timeout.  Out of the break, the Pride rattled off a 6-1 burst as Rouleau scored in transition to give Springfield a 13-11 edge.  Springfield would hit .462 in the set, getting five kills from Anderson, but it was Noah Weislo (Orchard Park, N.Y.) who ripped a ball down the line for the 25-21 win.

The second set featured 14 ties and four lead changes and Springfield would call for a timeout facing a 16-15 deficit.  Out of the break, Anderson would side out before the Violets would commit back-to-back errors, as Rouleau came up with a huge stuff block in the middle to give Springfield the lead for good at 18-16.  Ethan Weislo (Orchard Park, N.Y.) would take command of the set for the Pride from the end line with a key four-point service run before Noah Weislo chipped a kill off the block for a 25-22 win. 

The Pride seized a 6-2 lead to start the third and never looked back as it hit at a .542 clip behind four kills from both Noah Weislo and Evan Costley (Simi Valley, Calif.). Anderson would pound a kill in system to make the lead balloon to 20-12 and Costley later put away the 14th kill of the set for the hosts to complete the 25-17 victory. 

Springfield now gears up for a road-test at nationally-ranked Vassar on Thursday at 6 pm.

For the latest on Springfield College Athletics, follow the Pride on social media on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Fans can also download the Springfield "Front Row" mobile app, powered by PrestoSports, on iTunes and the Android Market. 

All-Classic Team
MIT - Kevin Windisch
Rutgers-Newark - Daniel Quay
NYU - Gautham Dasari
NYU - Lucas Osiecki
Springfield -Dylan Mulvaney
Springfield -Chris Rouleau
Springfield - Jarrett Anderson (MOP)