Men's Volleyball Secures a Double Sweep Over SUNY Purchase and Lehman

PURCHASE, N.Y. - The Elms College Men's Volleyball team traveled to State University of New York at Purchase for a non-conference tri-match Tuesday afternoon against the Panthers and Lehman College.

BASICS
Match 1
Score: Elms College 3 (25,25,25) | SUNY Purchase 0 (13,17,10)
Records: Blazers 1-1,0-0 (GNAC) | Panthers 0-1,0-0 (Skyline)

Match 2
Score: Elms College 3 (25,25,25) | Lehman College 0 (17,22,16)
Records: Blazers 2-1,0-0 (GNAC) | Lightning 0-1,0-0 (CUNYAC)

HOW IT HAPPENED
Match 1
Elms dropped the opening point of the match on a service error, but quickly found their rhythm and responded with a strong start. Junior Nick Uschmann (Agawam, Mass.) and senior Rafa Artero (Madrid, Spain) teamed up for an early block, followed by back-to-back kills from Uschmann and first year Xavier Lozado (Springfield, Mass.) to give the Blazers a 3-1 lead. Elms continued to control the net defensively, recording multiple blocks to extend the lead to 6-2. After a brief SUNY Purchase run, Elms regained momentum with a kill by Uschmann and a service ace from junior John Bellafronte (Enfield, Conn.). Bellafronte continued to pressure from the service line, forcing a bad set and helping the Blazers push the lead to 12-6. After a point earned on an attack error for the Panthers, the Blazers answered immediately with a kill made by first year John Centeno Pagan (Manatí, P.R.). Elms continued to dominate as Artero added a kill and teamed up with Uschmann for another block. Despite the Panthers scoring three straight points, Uschmann stopped the run with a kill, and Elms went back on the attack. The Blazers added points through a service ace by Centeno Pagan, a SUNY Purchase service error, and another block to strengthen the lead. Elms closed the set by capitulating on the SUNY Purchase errors and finishing with consecutive kills from Uschmann, Bellafronte, and Lozado. Loado delivered the final point of the set off with an assist from first year David Dzhenzherukha (Agawam, Mass.), sealing a dominant 25-13 first set victory for the Blazers.

Elms would open the second set with authority, scoring the first three points behind a kill from Centeno Pagan and strong net defense led by Uschmann and Artero. After SUNY Purchase earned a point, the Blazers quickly regained control with a service error made by the Panthers and continued offensive pressure. Uschmann, Artero, and Lozado each recorded kills to extend the lead 8-1. SUNY Purchase attempted to respond, but Elms answered with another kill from Uschmann. Then the Blazers stopped the Panthers' momentum with a service error and a service ace from Lozado. Centeno Pagan added a key kill off an assist from first year Chris Bousquet (Springfield, Mass.). The Blazers continued to apply pressure through the set as Artero delivered back-to-back kills, followed by a service ace from Dzhenzherukha to push the lead. After SUNY Purchase closed the gap, Elms responded decisively. Uschmann sparked a late run with a kill to stop the Panthers' momentum, and Bellafronte added a kill to rebuild the lead. Lozado and Uschmann continued to dominate offensively, with Uschmann recording three strength kills to bring Elms to set point. The set was sealed when SUNY Purchase committed an attack error, giving Elms a 25-17 set victory. 

Elms set the tone early in the final set, opening with four straight points behind a pair of kills from Uschmann and a kill from Lozado, all assisted by Dzhenzherukha. After a SUNY Purchase point on a service error, Elms quickly regained momentum with another kill by Uschmann and continued to dominate at the net. The Blazers extended their lead with strong blocking and efficient offense as Uschmann, Bellafronte, and Lozado combined for multiple points. Elms went on a commanding run to push the score to 10-2, capitalizing on the Panthers errors and steady pressure from the service line. SUNY Purchase briefly responded with a kill, but Elms answered immediately with back-to-back points, including a kill by Bellafronte and a service ace by Uschmann. Elms continued to control the tempo, extending the lead with another kill from Bellafronte. After trading service errors, the Blazers resumed their attack with a kill by Centeno Pagan and forced additional Panthers errors to widen the gap. Artero added multiple kills late in the set, while Dzhenzherukha continued to facilitate the offense. Elms closed out the match in dominant fashion, scoring the final points with kills from Uschmann and Artero. Artero delivered the final kill off an assist from Dzhenzherukha, sealing a decisive 25-10 final set victory and completing the match win for the Blazers. 

Match 2
At the start of the opening set, Lehman would strike first, but Elms would quickly respond with both a kill by Uschmann assisted by Dzhenzherukha and a block made by Uschmann and Artero. Uschmann would make two more kills before the Lightning would take the lead. The Blazers would take the lead by scoring three points from a service error and two kills from Centeno Pagan and Bellafronte. Elms would put two more points on the board with an attack error and a Dzhenzherukha service ace before Lehman would close the gap. Then Elms would be able to put four more points on the board with two kills and a block made from Uschmann and Artero, along with a service ace by Centeno Pagan and an Uschmann kill. The Blazers would be able to strengthen their lead with a kill made by Bellafronte, two kills made by Lozado, and a service ace by Uschmann. The ball would go back and forth with kills from Uschmann, Bellafronte, Dzhenzheruka, and Artero. Uschmann would be able to get one more kill before the Lightning would get their last kill of the set. Then Lehman would make an error, resulting in Elms winning the first set 25-17. 

Lehman would open the second set with an early point, but Elms quickly answered with a kill by Uschmann assisted by Dzhenzherukha to even the score. After the teams traded service errors, Lehman briefly pulled ahead with a pair of points. Elms responded with a kill from Artero and began to build momentum behind strong serving from Uschmann, who recorded two service aces and forced an attack error to give the Blazers their first lead of the set. The Lightning regained the lead with back-to-back kills, but the Blazers answered once again with a kill by Uschmann to knot the score at 8–8. After another Lehman point, Elms quickly tied the set with a kill by Dzhenzherukha. The Blazers then took control with a service ace from Bellafronte and a kill by Uschmann to make it 11–9.The set remained tightly contested as the teams exchanged points and kills, with Centeno Pagan contributing an important kill to keep Elms even at 13–13. The Blazers followed with a short scoring run highlighted by kills from Uschmann and Centeno Pagan to take a 15–13 advantage. After Lehman tied the score again, Elms went on another run with a block by Bellafronte and Lozado, extending the lead to 17–15. The Lightning continued to battle back, but the Blazers would maintain control behind steady offense from Centeno Pagan, who recorded multiple kills down the stretch. Despite Lehman closing the gap to 20–20, Elms responded with a key kill by Uschmann and late points from Artero and Lozado. After a Lehman service error, Artero sealed the set with a final kill by Uschmann, giving the Blazers their second set victory, 25-22.

Elms came out strong in the third and final set, opening with a service ace by Dzhenzherukha and quickly adding another point to take a 2-0 lead. Lehman responded with a kill, but the Blazers answered immediately with a kill by Centeno Pagan off an assist from Dzhenzherukha. After a service error by Elms, Uschmann put down a kill to keep Elms in front. The Blazers then went on a decisive run, highlighted by strong blocking at the net. The Blazers recorded three straight blocks, including efforts by Uschmann, Bellafronte, and Artero, while Lozado added a kill to extend the lead to 7-2. Although Lehman earned a point on a service error, Elms continued to apply pressure with a service ace from Uschmann and a Lehman service error to make it 10-5. The Lightning attempted to close the gap, but the Blazers answered with a kill by Bellafronte. After trading points, Artero contributed a kill before Centeno Pagan stepped to the service line and delivered back-to-back service aces to push the Elms advantage to 15-8. Lehman scored a pair of points, but Elms halted the momentum with a kill by Artero and another strong block by Bellafronte and Uschmann. The Blazers continued to build their lead behind kills from Bellafronte and Uschmann, while Lehman struggled with service and attack errors. Elms closed out the set with a dominant finish, as a block by Dzhenzherukha and Artero set up a set point. Centeno Pagan then delivered a kill to bring Elms to match point before putting away the final point with another kill assisted by Dzhenzherukha, sealing the third set 25-16 and the match victory with their second straight sweep of the day.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Dzhenzherukha - 68 assists, five digs, four service aces, two kills, and two block assists.

• Uschmann - 31 kills, 11 blocks, eight digs, five service aces, and two assists.

• Bousquet - 29 digs and four assists.

• Centeno Pagan - 21 digs, 12 kills, and four service aces.

• Bellafronte - 13 kills, seven blocks, two service aces, and two digs.

• Artero - 12 kills, eight blocks, and seven digs.

• Lozado - ten kills, five digs, two blocks, a service ace, and an assist.

• Sánchez - two digs and an assist.

UP NEXT: The Elms Men's Volleyball team will return to Picknelly Arena for a non-conference match hosting Vermont State University-Johnson on Friday, January 14th at 7 pm.

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