No. 13 Rivier Captures Ninth All-Time GNAC Men's Volleyball Crown
Top-seeded Rivier bested second-seeded Wentworth, 3-0, on Saturday in the GNAC title game as the two conference powerhouses matched up for the crown a second straight year.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Courtesy of Rivier Athletics Communications
NASHUA, N.H. - The #1 seeded Rivier University Men's Volleyball team captured their ninth overall Great Northeast Athletic Conference championship and second in a row on Saturday evening as they swept visiting and second-seeded Wentworth Institute of Technology in straight sets in front a packed house at the Muldoon Gymnasium. Rivier was victorious by set scores of 25-18, 25-20 and 28-26.
The Raiders, currently ranked #13 in the latest American Volleyball Coaches Association Top-15 Poll, are now 25-7 on the season and await their placement in the upcoming NCAA Division III Men's Volleyball Tournament. The D3 selection show will air online on Monday at 10:00 AM.
Tournament MVP David Smith (Clinton, Ohio) powered the Raiders to victory by lacing a team-high twelve kills while registering a .318 hitting percentage and adding a block solo. Senior Khaynen Yocca (Pittsburgh, Pa.) swung at a .438 clip with 10 kills and junior Francis Kokoros (Braintree, Mass.) added nine kills in the win. Junior Pedro Campos (Downey, Calif.) directed the offense to the tune of 37 assists and helped defensively with three key block solos. Junior Cam Roth(Coventry, R.I.) and freshman Jack Normandin (Clifton Park, N.Y.) scooped up four and six digs along the backline for the Raiders.
Junior Ryan Love (Gaithersburg, Md.) hammered down a game-high 13 kills for the Leopards and classmate Ryan Engel (Floral Park, N.Y.) added nine winners to led the Wentworth offensive attack. Junior setter Augusto Rodriguez-Guerrios (San Juan, Puerto Rico) dished out 24 helpers and sophomore Peter Klembeck (Penfield, N.Y.) picked up six digs. Sophomore David Marsh (Springfield, Mass.) was a force along the net for Wentworth as he recorded five block solos and junior Xhulio Zyba (Holbrook, Mass.) notched three block solos in the final game of the year for the Leopards.
Rivier will find out its next opponent on Monday morning during the live NCAA Division III Men's Volleyball Tournament selection show. You can watch the show here: https://www.ncaa.com/news/volleyball-men/article/2019-04-13/diii-mens-volleyball-championship-selection-show-set-monday
2019 GNAC Men's Volleyball Championship
