All-Out Effort Gives Men's Volleyball Two Five-Set GNAC Wins

BOSTON, Mass. -  A day of gritty play with two five-set matches fell the way of the Emerson Men's Volleyball Team Monday afternoon as they pulled together to take two huge GNAC wins over Lasell and JWU on their home court at the Brown-Plofker Gym. The Lions topped Lasell 30-28, 19-25, 25-19, 22-25 and 15-11 before bringing it to JWU in similar fashion with a 27-25, 15-25, 25-21, 18-25 and 15-11 win.

In the first match of the day the Lions showed heart early on in the first set as they headed to extras battling off nine tie scores while hitting .220 as a team. Conor Burton's six kills coupled with the Lion tough defense at the net with four blocks gave EC the edge it needed as they snaked off with a 30-28 win. Set two saw the Lasers fight back with a .269 average while unforced errors cost EC as Lasell tied it up with a 25-15 win.

From there the two teams slugged it out, with Emerson surging in the third set for a .267 average to kick back into the lead with a 25-21 win before Lasell paid the favor forward in the fourth with a wicked .428 attack percentage as they battled back to even it up a two apiece with a 25-21 win. Headed into the final set the Lions took the reigns early on as Lasell came to throw down, but six tie scores and four lead changes later the Lions prevailed with a 15-11 final.

In the latter half of the day Emerson took to the floor again, this time to face a potent JWU squad who rolled in off a three-set win over Lasell. The match started out with similarities to the morning head-to-head with the Lions taking it to extras to take the first set again as the Wildcats actually outhit the Lions in the set but the 11 unforced errors by JWU shot them in the foot as EC took a 27-25 win. The Wildcats hit replay from the first match of the day as they let the Wildcats back into the match as JWU swung a nasty .481to roll off with an easy 25-15 win.

Set three fell the way of Emerson as well as the Lions scrapped together a .308 average  to tie it up six times and swing five lead changes, but Eric Doherty and Conor Burton tore it up with four kills apiece to lead EC to a tight 25-21 win. The Lions couldn't seem to finish the job though as they stumbled to JWU again in the fourth set, who hit a match-high .484 to take momentum into the fifth set after a 25-18 win. From the start it seemed all Emerson though as the Wildcats derailed under the Lions defense who put up four blocks in the shortened set to finish it with a 15-11 final.

The Lions will rest for the week as their next match is at home next Monday against Lesley in Boston at Emerson's Brown-Plofker Gym at 7 p.m.