Gulls Fall to #6 Stevens
Feb. 13, 2005
HOBOKEN, N.J. - Junior outside Greg Higgins (Kenmore, N.Y./Kenmore West) had 21 total kills in two matches as the Stevens Institute of Technology men's volleyball team earned 3-0 wins over Endicott College and New Jersey City University on Saturday at Walker Gymnasium.
Jeremy Fontaine finished with 11 kills and just one error in 16 attempts to lead Endicott. Eddie Marchand added 10 kills for the Gulls.
Higgins and junior outside hitter Chris Bock (Empangeri, South Africa/University-Fla.) had 11 kills apiece in the win over Endicott. Sophomore middle hitter Will Foley (Clifton Park, N.Y./Shenendehowa) had seven kills with just one error in 11 attempts.
Stevens trailed Endicott 13-10 in the opening game, but the Ducks scored six straight points behind the serving of Bock to surge into the lead. Bock had two of his three services aces during that stretch and Stevens took advantage of three Endicott errors. With the score knotted at 24-24, the Ducks edged in front by two points on a kill by sophomore outside hitter Shane Pierson (Newbury Park, Calif./Newbury Park) and a service ace by Higgins. The teams sided out the rest of the way with sophomore middle hitter Scott Stoner (Wantagh, N.Y./Wantagh) finishing off the opening game with a kill.
Stevens never trailed in the second game, leading by as many as six points. The Ducks seemingly had the game in hand when a kill by Bock increased the lead to 27-22. Endicott scored four straight points, two on service aces by Jeremy Fontaine, to pull within 27-26. Bock and Higgins each had a kills while Stoner and Higgins combined on a block to close out the second game.
Like the second game, Stevens never trailed in the third game. The Ducks scored the first four points of the game with Bock serving and never looked back. Endicott got as close as two points on a number of occasions, the last on a kill by Eric Hunter that pulled the Gulls within 28-26. Two Endicott miscues gave the third game and the match to Stevens.
Stevens, which had its six-match winning streak snapped in a 3-0 loss to top-ranked Juniata on Friday night, earned a 30-28, 30-27, 30-26 win over 10th-ranked Endicott. The Ducks, ranked sixth in the latest American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division III coaches poll, improved to 11-5 overall and 3-0 in Metro Division play. Endicott is 7-4 overall.
Story Courtesy of Steven's Tech Sports Information Dept.