MVB: Lasell splits with Wentworth in home opener

NEWTON, Mass. – The Lasell University men's volleyball team split a pair of matches against Wentworth Institute of Technology Saturday afternoon in the first home matches of the season at the Athletic Center. The Lasers took the opening match, 3-1, but the Leopards came back with a 3-0 victory in the second match.

Senior Aaron Waitekus (Norwood, Mass.) led the Lasers on the afternoon, totaling 21 kills in the two matches with an impressive .462 attack percentage along with nine blocks. Graduate Student Scott Sterenberg (Oceanside, N.Y.) added 16 kills on the afternoon and sophomore Jan Baranowski (Wheeling, Ill.) chipped in with 15, while sophomore setter Jesus Garcia (Honolulu, Hawaii) finished with 59 assists.

The Lasers are now 1-3 on this abbreviated season, with all four matches coming against Wentworth. The Leopards improved to 4-1 overall. Lasell will be back on the court on Wednesday, March 31, with a pair of matches at Eastern Nazarene College, beginning at 6:00 p.m.

Match 1 – Lasell 3, Wentworth 1

The Lasers pulled out a 26-24 victory in the first set. Lasell led most of the way before Wentworth battled back from a 20-15 deficit to tie the score at 23-all. Sterenberg and Wentworth freshman Jacob LaBouliere traded kills, but a kill by Waitekus and a block by sophomore Brenden Joyce (Randolph, Mass.) clinched the set for the hosts.

The teams went back and forth in the second set before Lasell pulled ahead 22-17 late. The Lasers maintained the lead and won the set, 25-21, on a kill by freshman Ryan Fuller (Wayland, Mass.)

The third set went back and forth, and after a 10-10 tie, Wentworth pulled ahead for good with a 7-3 run. Lasell pulled to within one point a couple times, but the Leopards held on for a 25-21 decision.

Lasell jumped out to a 7-1 lead and never relinquished it. The teams traded four-point runs, but the Lasers pulled away to the 10-point victory, 25-15, to clinch the match, 3-1.

Waitekus finished with 15 kills, a .481 attack percentage (15-2-27) and five blocks, while Sterenberg made 10 kills and Baranowski added nine kills and three blocks. Garcia recorded 36 assists, and senior Cobi Moore (Danville, N.H.) and Fuller made 10 digs each.

Match 2 – Wentworth 3, Lasell 0

The Leopards won by set scores of 25-23, 25-19, and 25-21, to win for the third time in four tries this season against the Lasers.

Lasell had the lead early on in the first set, but Wentworth came back to tie the score at 10-10 before pulling away. The Lasers stayed within striking distance, but the Leopards maintained a 3-4 point cushion most of the way before winning the set by two points.

Wentworth went on a five-point swing in the second set to push its lead to 12-5. The Leopard went on to lead by nine points (23-14) before a late surge by Lasell pulled the Lasers to within five (24-19) but the visitors closed out the set.

The third set was close most of the way, with tie scores at 7-7, 13-13 and 15-15. Wentworth slowly pulled away, and while the Lasers were within two points late (22-20), the Leopards finished off the victory, 25-21.

Joyce led the Lasers with seven kills in the match, while Waitekus, Baranowski and Sterenberg all had six kills. Waitekus chipped in with four blocks, and sophomore Charles Lavoie (Honolulu, Hawaii) posted a team-high eight digs.

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