Emmanuel Volleyball Topped 11th-seeded Endicott College in NECVA Championship

HOBOKEN, N.J. - The 6th-seeded Emmanuel College Volleyball Team topped 11th-seeded Endicott College, 3-1, in the opening round of the North East Collegiate Volleyball Association (NECVA) Championship. The win by scores of 25-15, 21-25, 25-16, 25-22 advanced the Saints to the tournament quarterfinals and set a new Emmanuel program-record for wins in a single season. The 28-8 Saints will now face 3rd-seeded Baruch College on Saturday at 1pm.

This was Emmanuel's first-ever win during NECVA Tournament play. The Saints are making their 5th NECVA Tournament appearance, but had never previously advanced beyond the opening round. This season, during non-conference play, Emmanuel had posted a 2-1 record against the Gulls. The Saints' third win of the year over Endicott featured a strong defensive effort by Emmanuel. The Saints held the Gulls to just .042 hitting with Emmanuel tallying 3 solo and 25 assisted blocks in the win.

The Saints allowed just six kills on 25 swings in a 25-15 first set, but the Gulls found their stride in the second, regrouping for a hard-fought 25-21 triumph. The Saints responded by holding Endicott to a paltry -0.346 hitting percentage in the third set, earning a 25-16 win, before closing out the match with a 25-22 victory in the fourth frame.

Senior outside hitter and GNAC Player of the Year Curtis Abram (San Luis Obispo, Calif.) led Emmanuel with a match-high 22 kills, while also tallying a match-best 13 digs and 2 aces. Classmates Cam Todd (Los Angeles, Calif.) and Matt Salvi (Trumbull, Conn.) recorded 7 kills apiece. Sophomore setter Nick Updike (Manhattan Beach, Calif.) dished out 44 assists, while totaling 5 kills and 5 digs, while senior libero and GNAC Defensive Player of the Year Jake DeLuise (Wakefield, R.I.) gathered 12 digs. Senior middle Thomas McCaffrey (Massapequa, N.Y.) picked up 11 total blocks in the win for Emmanuel.

Junior Jeremy Siden (Natick, Mass.) led Endicott with 12 kills, while senior Zeke Kubisch (Bethlehem, N.Y.) and freshman Carter Roche (Clifton Park, N.Y.) shared the team-lead in digs with 10. Roche also added 28 assists in the loss.

Emmanuel will take on Baruch College on Saturday afternoon. Baruch reached the tournament quarterfinals after posting a 3-0 sweep over 14th-seeded Ramapo College. The winner of Saturday's quarterfinal match will play in the NECVA semifinals at 4pm. All NECVA Tournament matches are being hosted by Stevens Institute of Technology.