Conference News
Harvard Makes Quick Work of Endicott, 3-0
Harvard Makes Quick Work of Endicott, 3-0
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - In a match that lasted just over an
hour, the Harvard men's volleyball team dispatched Endicott, 3-0,
Tuesday night at the Malkin Athletic Center. Harvard limited the
Gulls to a .096 hitting percentage in winning, 30-25, 30-23, 30-24,
as the Crimson ran its winning streak to three and won its fourth
match out of the past five.
Senior Brady Weissbourd had another strong showing for the Crimson,
posting 20 kills with only four errors on 29 attacks as he hit .552
on the night, his fifth-straight match with at least 20 kills.
Weissbourd also had match-highs with 26 points and six blocks along
with a team-high nine digs. Freshman Matt Jones chipped in with 12
kills, six digs and three blocks, while junior Gil Weintraub handed
out 45 assists with five digs and three blocks as Harvard
out-blocked the Gulls, 10-3, and limited them to only one service
ace. Brent Feldman, A.J. Witkofsky and John Emery, who each knocked
home six kills, led the way for Endicott.
Harvard gained the first two points of the opening set, but the
Crimson was unable to build on the lead, as the Gulls eventually
gained a three-point advantage twice and then went up by two at
13-11 on a kill by Jordan Durant. From there the Crimson took over
the match. With junior Erik Kuld on serve, the Crimson would go
from a 13-11 deficit to a 21-13 lead, thanks in part to three kills
and a block by Jones. Endicott would get back into the match,
though, as the Gulls captured six points within a seven-serve span
to trim Harvard's lead to three, 22-19. Harvard didn't let the
Gulls get any closer than two the rest of the way, as Weissbourd
slammed down a kill to give the Crimson the 30-25 win.
Endicott kept pace in the second set, as Harvard's early 1-0 lead
soon evaporated into a two-point lead for the visitors at 9-7.
Sophomore Shaun Mansour and Weissbourd blocked an attack by Feldman
to put Harvard back up by one, 14-13, but the Gulls responded by
taking the next five points to go up, 18-14, forcing a Harvard
timeout. Harvard would come out swinging after the stoppage of
play, as Weissbourd compiled two of his three match service aces
during a five-point Harvard swing. After a kill by Feldman
momentarily stopped Harvard's momentum, the Crimson grabbed the
next three points to go up, 22-19. Endicott cut the lead to one at
22-21 and then again to two at 25-23, but Harvard won five straight
points for the match win. A block by Weissbourd and junior Soren
Rosier was followed by another by Weissborud and Jones. Kuld's
service ace then sealed the deal and the 30-23 win.
Unlike the first two sets, Harvard jumped out into the lead in the
third and maintained it throughout, as a 5-4 Crimson advantage was
extended to 11-6 on a kill by Weissbourd. Senior Jeff Nathan posted
a kill to put Harvard up, 13-8, and then put Harvard up by six as
he and Weissbourd blocked an Endicott attack for a 15-9 edge.
Harvard got the lead to seven at 20-13 on a kill by Kuld, but
Endicott was able to whittle it down to four, 20-16. Endicott would
not go quietly, as the Gulls were able to get to within three at
24-21 and then again at 25-22. Weintraub's solo block of an attack
by Emery got Harvard back up to five at 27-22, and Weissbourd
slammed down his ninth and 10th kills of the set to give Harvard
the 30-24 match win.








