MIT Holds Off Endicott, 3-1

BEVERLY, Mass. – The Endicott men's volleyball team fell to MIT, 3-1, by scores of 22-25, 16-25, 25-22, and 17-25 in non-conference action on Thursday night at MacDonald Gymnasium.

Rafa Robert (San Juan, Puerto Rico) and Spencer Capps (Lake Bluff, Ill.) posted double-digit kills (14/12) to lead the Gulls' attack.

Nikolas Kasprzak (Windham, N.H.) also chipped in with seven kills (.353) and four blocks (one solo) in the setback.

Meanwhile, Gabe DeBenedetto (Rockford, Ill.) facilitated the offense with 32 assists to go along with 10 digs (first double-double of the season).

Tonight's match featured 35 ties (1st – 2 | 2nd – 5 | 3rd – 14 | 4th – 14) and 13 lead changes (1st – 0 | 2nd – 2 | 3rd – 5 | 4th – 6).

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• Capps fell one dig shy of a double-double (four digs led directly to kills).
• Mason Mallory (Playa del Rey, Calif.) went 13-for-13 on serve-receive (six led to kills).
• In the third set, Endicott broke a 21-21 tie via two putaways from Capps and a pair of Engineers' errors.
• Capps paced the Gulls with five kills and a service ace in set three, while Robert contributed four kills (zero errors, five swings) and three digs.
• MIT has defeated two nationally ranked opponents this season (No. 14 Lasell, 3-0 | No. 11 Wentworth, 3-1).
• The Engineers are receiving votes the most votes in the current American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) poll.
• MIT is 2-1 on the road this season.
• The Engineers are 20-16 all-time against Endicott.

WHAT'S NEXT

Endicott (0-3) travels to Rivier on Friday, February 10 at 7:30 PM. MIT (5-1) plays Emerson (10 AM) and Nichols (12 PM) this Saturday in Boston. 

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(Photo Credit - David Le '10)