#12 Wentworth Wins Second-Straight GNAC Championship over Lasell

Release courtesy of Wentworth Communications.

BOSTON, Mass. – For the second-straight season, the top-seeded Wentworth Institute of Technology men's volleyball team topped the second-seeded Lasell Lasers, 3-1, in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference Championship, earning the Leopards their second-straight GNAC Championship and fourth overall. Each of Wentworth's last two championships have been won in front of a home crowd.

With the win, the Leopards advance to their third-straight NCAA Division III Men's Volleyball Tournament and fifth overall.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• The two teams traded points to start the first set as the rivals worked the score up until Lasell pulled away with a 9-5 lead. A kill by senior Hunter Oshman (Pennington, N.J.) later cut the Leopards' deficit to 11-9 before another Oshman kill marked a 12-10 deficit. The Lasers continued to hold the lead, working up to a 19-15 lead before a kill by junior Jacob LaBouliere (Pipersville, Pa.) cut the deficit to 19-16. LaBouliere and freshman Nicolai Bell (Moraga, Calif.) in the later going of the set, but the Lasers held on to a 25-19 set win, giving the visitors a 1-0 advantage.
• The two teams stuck close to start the second set as Oshman, Bell, and senior Tristan McDonough (Shelton, Conn.) kills eventually gave the hosts a 5-4 lead. Two LaBouliere kills, a Bell kill, and a kill by sophomore Sam Etter (Massillon, Ohio) helped guide the Leopards to a 14-9 lead before two Oshman kills marked a 18-13 score. Three kills from Etter capped by kills from Bell and LaBouliere gave Wentworth a 25-16 set win, tying the match at 1-1.
• LaBouliere struck another kill to give Wentworth a 3-2 lead in the third set before a McDonough kill paired with another by LaBouliere gave the hosts a 5-3 advantage. Etter and Oshman kills pushed the advantage to 12-9 before Oshman and LaBouliere kills expanded the lead to a 16-14 lead. The Lasers fought back, taking a 22-20 lead, but two services aces by junior Tyler Jack (San Jose, Calif.) helped the Leopards ride to a 25-22 set win and a 2-1 match lead.
• Wentworth set out to a commanding 7-2 lead in the fourth set thanks to six kills from LaBouliere. An Etter kill pushed the advantage to 11-4 before an Oshman kill continued the lead to 12-7. Three LaBouliere kills and an Oshman kill carried the lead to 19-10 before a slew of errors and a Bell kill gave the Leopards a 25-14 set win and a 3-1 match win.
• LaBouliere paced the Leopards with 24 kills en route to earning the GNAC Tournament's Most Outstanding Player honors. Also earning honors for the Black & Gold were Oshman and sophomore Josh Milke (Eastampton, N.J.), both of whom were named to the GNAC All-Tournament Team. Milke topped his previously-set career-high in assists with 52 in today's win.

SERIES NOTES:

• Today marked the 53^rd all-time meeting between the two teams and the third since their date in the GNAC Championship a season ago. Wentworth owns a 33-20 all-time record.

 NEXT UP:

• The Leopards await their first opponent in the NCAA Division III Tournament as the Selection Show takes place Monday, April 17, at 10:00 a.m.