Resilient Effort Propels Men’s Volleyball Past Rivier, 3-2

BEVERLY, Mass. — The Endicott men's volleyball team defeated Rivier, 3-2, by scores of 25-20, 25-21, 21-25, 28-30, and 17-15 on Wednesday night at MacDonald Gymnasium.

Jake Laborde (Brookline, N.H.) posted a career-high 20 kills (.385) to fuel the Gulls' attack.

Corey Klass Jr. (Beverly, Mass.) also notched a career-high 14 putaways (.500), while Aidan Iacovelli (South Windsor, Conn.) contributed 13 kills in the win. 

Matty Tiernan (Bradford, R.I.) registered his first career double-double via 50 assists (97 attempts, .515) and 10 digs, both career-highs. 

Tonight's match featured 39 ties (3-10-10-10-6) and eight lead changes (0-4-2-2-0), with set four highlighting the back-and-forth non-conference matchup. 

Endicott rallied from a 16-21 deficit by orchestrating a 7-2 run (23-23) behind kills from Klass Jr. (3) and Laborde (2), a service ace (Laborde), and a Raiders' service error. 

Rivier answered with a kill to put the match at set point, marking the first of six chances (23-24, 24-25, 25-26, 26-27, 27-28, 28-29) the visitors had at forcing a fifth and final set. 

The Raiders finally fended off the pesky Gulls at 30-28 thanks to back-to-back unforced errors.

In the fifth set, Endicott led by as many as four points (10-6), but Rivier responded with a rally of its own, tying the match at 12-12, 14-14, and 15-15 before a Laborde kill and a block by Tiernan and Jackson Gray (Glenmont, N.Y.) put the clamps on the victory for the Gulls.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• Laborde compiled a set-high four kills in the match-clincher.
• Klass Jr. (six block assists) and Thomas Matchett (North Smithfield, R.I.) were forces at the net (two solo blocks, seven assisted blocks, both career-highs).
• Dan Battista (Bethlehem, N.Y.) had seven digs, five assists, and went a perfect 21-for-21 on serve-receive. 
• The Gulls hit .368 or better in sets they won tonight (.455 in sets one and two).

WHAT'S NEXT

Endicott (1-1) visits No. 10 Wentworth on Saturday, January 25 at 11 AM. Rivier (2-2) hosts SUNY Potsdam and No. 7 Springfield on Saturday, February 1. 

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Photo Credit - Mazzie Hinsdale '25)