SAINTS SWEEP MUSTANGS, 3-0

NEWTON, Mass. – Mount Ida's men's volleyball team played their first home match since March 4th and the Mustangs suffered a 3-0 loss to Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) foe Emmanuel College on Tuesday night.  The Saints jumped in front with 25-16 and 25-17 victories in the opening sets.  Mount Ida was in the final game, however, until the end, tying the set at 18-all before conceding five straight points, and then nearly making up the margin again before falling 25-22.

Mustang sophomore James Ames (West Hartford, Conn.) led all players with nine kills in the game, while sophomore middle Garrett McGarry (Chicago, Ill.) had seven kills for the Saints and made just two errors, hitting .500.

Emmanuel (12-9, 7-3 GNAC) opened up with a 7-5 lead in the opening set and then took advantage of a kill by Zach Whitermore (Whitehall, Pa.) and six Mustang errors, as well as an ace by Sean Baxley (Saint James, N.Y.) to extend their advantage to 15-6.

Baxley had two service aces for Emmanuel and racked up 27 assists in the victory, while sophomore setter Brady Rodriguez (Longwood, Fla.) set up 18 points for Mount Ida (8-15, 2-8 GNAC).

Leading 10-8 in the second set, it was Baxley serving again as the Saints began a 7-2 run that included kills by Brett Pettis (Haverhill, Mass.) and Austin Cockerill (Darien, Conn.).  Ames and senior Nick Melillo (North Haven, Conn.), who had three kills in the match, tried to keep the Mustangs close, but two of Drew Jordan's (Braintree, Mass.) seven kills kept the Saints ahead at 20-12. The teams exchanged points until a service error by Melillo delivered the 25-17 win for Emmanuel.

It was Emmanuel that made 11 errors in the third set, and Mount Ida capitalized by using a 7-2 run of their own to grab a 13-12 lead, their first of the night. Ames tied the game at 18 after Pettis had given Emmanuel back the lead, but a 6-1 spurt from the Saints that included a kill and two blocks by McGarry and Cockerill gave the visitors the four point edge.  The Mustangs clawed back to within two thanks to three attacking errors by Emmanuel, but McGarry was able to seal the victory with a kill.

McGarry and Jordan finished the night with 7 kills apiece to lead the Saints.  Michael Felix (Mission Hills, Calif.) had four kills and was in on five blocks for Emmanuel, while Pettis chipped in with 5 kills and 7 digs in the win.

Jimmy Wessel (DeKalb, Ill.) led the Mustangs with six digs.  Senior Nick Schibi (Torrington, Conn.) added four kills for the Mustangs.

Mount Ida will have a busy rest of the week, as they travel to Emerson on Thursday at 7:00 pm before hosting Albertus Magnus and Wentworth on Sunday in a GNAC tri-match.  The Saints face another Newton foe Thursday night when they welcome in Lasell at 7:00 pm.  Emmanuel will then play host to Anna Maria and Emerson on Saturday in a GNAC tri-match.

- Release courtesy of Mount Ida College Sports Information