Raiders Back On Track; Ace Lasell

Nashua, NH - #9 Rivier College (8-1 GNAC; 24-7 overall) defeated GNAC opponent Lasell College 3-0 behind 9 team ace serves and 9 team blocks to help lift the Raiders to their 8th win in the conference. Middle hitters Alex Xenidis (Shelton, CT) and Taylor Lindner (Cheshire, CT) combined for 10 kills on 14 attempts with no errors for an explosive .714 hitting percentage to help the home team win by scores of 25-19, 25-18 and 25-15. The duo were also involved in 6 of the Raiders 9 blocks.

Lasell jumped out to an early 6-4 lead in the first set after a Micah Aiu (Honolulu, HI) block on Raiders middle hitter Aaron Almario (Alhambra, CA). The Raiders stormed right back on a four point run with freshman Sam Kazlas (Allentown, PA) picking up a block and a kill during the spurt. Lasell tied the game at 9-9, but a 3 point run by Rivier put the Raiders in front for good as the Raiders rolled along to a 25-19 with the Raiders last point coming on a Max Vaughan (Wethersfield, CT) service error.

Set two started much the same way, with Lasell taking a quick 3-1 lead off the start, Rivier catching up, and the teams tied at 9-9. Once again, it was the Raiders who were able to create some space, going on a 7-1 run to extend the lead to 16-10 after two Jared Andreozzi (Barrington, RI) service aces and an Andreozzi kill out of the back row. The Raiders maintained at least a 5 point lead for the rest of the set, finishing on a Steve Visentin (Cheshire, CT) service ace to end the game 25-18 and a 2-0 match lead for Rivier.

Rivier wasted no time in the third set as Almario scored the first point with a kill and then went back to the service line and rattled off 4 straight points to give the Raiders a 5-0 lead. Spencer Parker (Newington, CT) tried to stop the bleeding for the Lasers with a kill, but Lindner answered right back for the Raiders and then Visentin went on a 5 point service run of his own, including two aces, to give the Raiders an 11-1 lead before a kill by Parker from the back row could stop the run. Unfortunately for the Lasers, after the home team sided out again it was Andreozzi's turn to go on a service run, rattling off 4 more points to extend the Raiders lead to 16-4. The Raiders cruised to a 25-15 win in the third and final set on 15 errors by the Lasers.

Back row players Chris Convertito (Trumbull, CT), Drew Corwin (Sudbury, MA), Andrew Paine (Quincy, MA) and Steve Wood (Spencerport, NY) combined for 15 of the Raiders 27 team digs all while having just 1 error on receive. Freshman Sam Kazlas put down 5 kills and 2 blocks and senior John Furka (Massapequa, NY) tallied 4 kills, 3 digs, 2 blocks, and 1 service ace. Setter Steve Visentin dished out 33 assists with 4 ace serves and outside hitter Jared Andreozzi had a match high 11 kills along with 3 service ace points. Aaron Almario was solid with 5 kills and 2 blocks in the victory.

The Lasers were led by Spencer Parker's 10 kills, 6 digs, 3 blocks and 1 ace. Middle hitter Mike Harrington (Billerica, MA) had a team high 4 blocks and added 1 ace while Alex Mill (Danville, NH) and Harry Strobel (Westport, CT) added 4 kills apiece in the set back. The loss drops the Lasers to 11-10 overall and 3-4 in GNAC play.

#9 Rivier  (3)  25  25  25
Lasell       (0)  19  18  15

Rivier will take a 12 day break and return to action on Tuesday March 3/15 at MIT. Game time in Cambridge MA will be 7:30pm.