Rivier Captures Third Straight GNAC Championship

Nashua NH – Rivier College defeated Emmanuel College 3-0 to win the 2010 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Men’s Volleyball Championship.  The Raiders, winners of the last three GNAC Championships, won the three set battle by the score of 30-25, 30-28, 30-26 to clinch a spot in the North Eastern Collegiate Volleyball Association (NECVA) Championship in Cape Cod, MA on April 9-11.  The Saints, who made their third trip to the GNAC Championship match, will also receive an automatic bid to the NECVA Championship.

In the first semi-final match of the tournament No-1 seed Rivier College defeated the No-4 seed Emerson College 3-0 with game scores 30-18, 30-19, and 30-21.  Emerson College (9-12 overall; 5-7 GNAC), making their first GNAC playoff appearance in program history, was paced by senior middle blocker Bay Scoggin (Dallas, TX) with a team high 9 kills and 3 blocks.  Sophomore setter Steve Selnick (Cheshire, CT) distributed 23 assists and freshmen Justin Chun (Honolulu, HI) picked up a team high 6 digs for the Lions. 

Sophomores Alex Xenidis (Shelton, CT) and Tajh Stokes (Salem, NH) were dominant in the middle for Rivier with a combined 21 kills and 10 blocks while first year setter Jamison Chue (Newton, MA) narrowly missed a double double with 40 assists and 9 digs. 

#1 Rivier College – 3        30  30  30
#4 Emerson College - 0 18  19  21

In semi-final #2 Emmanuel College, the tournaments No-2 seed, worked hard at defeating a tough No-3 seed Lasell College 3-1.  Emmanuel came out firing in the first set to easily win 30-25 however Lasell (17-10 overall; 8-4 GNAC) fought back in set two with a game score of 30-28 to even the match 1-1.  Much like the first set Emmanuel elevated their play with powerful serves and scrappy defense to win the third set 30-16.  Game four showed the Lasers leading late into the set but unable to close out the Saints to force a fifth and deciding game as EC took set four 30-27 to earn a spot in the championship match.

Sophomore setter Brendan McGourn (Southington, CT) was a stalwart for the Lasers stuffing the stats sheet in all categories while first year outside hitter Spencer Parker (Newington, CT) led LC with a team high in kills.  Sophomore middle hitter Micah Aiu (Honolulu, HI) played a solid all around match for the No-3 seed.

Juniors Curtis Abram (San Luis Obispo, CA) and Tyson Rietz (Granite Bay, CA) sparked the Saints in the winning effort with timely ace serves and big kills while tri-setters senior Taylor Lowe (Malibu, CA), junior Sean O’Connor (Hampstead, NH), and freshman Nick Updike (Manhattan Beach, CA) ran a diversified offense to lift Emmanuel for the victory.

#2 Emmanuel College – 3             30  28  30  30
#3 Lasell College – 1                        25  30  16  27

In the championship match Rivier (28-8 overall; 11-1 GNAC) jumped out to a 12-8 lead before Emmanuel (26-8 overall; 11-1 GNAC) closed the gap at 13-11 off a Raider service error and a Michael Townsend (Beaverdam, VA) ace.  Rivier pushed the lead back up to 5 points off a kill by Jared Andreozzi (Barrington, RI) at 20-15 before Emmanuel made a late set charge with kill by Thomas McCaffrey (Massapequa, NY) and two unforced errors by Rivier to tie the set 21-21.  A big block by senior captains Matt Ferreira (Lincoln, RI) and Zach Hansen (Shelton, CT) pushed RIV into three point lead and an eventual 30-25 first set victory. 

In set two both teams battled through a series of 10 ties and 6 lead changes all the way to a Rivier 29-28 lead before a combined block by sophomore Drew Corwin (Sudbury, MA) and freshman Taylor Lindner (Cheshire, CT) closed the set at 30-28 and a 2-0 match lead for Rivier.

Set three showed both teams trading points early before Rivier was able to make some breathing room at 16-12.  Emmanuel, determined not to go away quietly, tied the score 20-20 highlighted by a Tyson Rietz service ace and a Matt Salvi (Trumbull, CT) kill.  After a quick timeout the Raiders regrouped and opened up another four point lead capped off by Jared Andreozzi’s 3 kills including a game and match ending bomb on the outside for a 30-26 victory.   

Jared Andreozzi led the offense for the Raiders, finishing with 20 kills and only 1 hitting error for a .760 hitting percentage.  Zach Hansen dished out 42 assists in the 3-0 victory and added 3 blocks and 3 digs to help out the defense.  Middle hitter Matt Ferreira finished with 9 kills while outside hitter Steve Visentin put down 7 kills of his own.

For the Saints, middle hitter Thomas McCaffrey had a great game, thumping down 12 kills on 14 attempts with zero errors for a .857 hitting percentage and put back 4 blocks in the match.  Senior Michael Townsend chipped in with 7 kills and a .500 hitting percentage and added 2 service aces to lead the team. 

#1 Rivier College – 3                        30  30  30
#2 Emmanuel College – 0             25  28  26

2010 GNAC Championship All-Tournament Team     MVP-Jared Andreozzi (Barrington, RI)   Rivier Zach Hansen (Shelton, CT)                      Rivier

Matt Ferreira (E. Providence, RI)              Rivier

Tom McCaffrey (Massapequa, NY)            Emmanuel

Curtis Abram (San Luis Obispo, CA)         Emmanuel

Brendan McGourn (Southington, CT)        Lasell

Bay Scoggin (Dallas, TX)                           Emerson

*Courtesy Rivier College Athletic Communications