Box ScoreHonolulu, Hawaii - January 12, 2012 - The Springfield College men's volleyball team opened up the 2012 season with a three-set loss to the University of Hawaii in the Outrigger Invitational on Thursday evening Stan Sheriff Center. The Warriors prevailed 25-21, 26-24, 25-12.
The win boosts Hawaii's record to 2-1 on the season, while the Pride drop to 0-1.
In his collegiate debut, Angel Perez posted a team-best 10 kills to go along with seven digs, while Mike Pelletier added seven kills. Nick Ferry posted a team best 10 digs and middle hitter Jimmy O'Leary chipped in with four kills and four blocks.
The Warriors hit .437 as a team, including an impressive .520 in the second and third sets. Senior outside hitter Steven Hunt had a match-high 16 kills and hit .371 while freshman outside hitter JP Marks added 12 kills on .429 hitting. Middle blocker Nick West had seven kills with no errors in 11 attempts and a match-high six blocks.
In Set 1, the Warriors and Pride were locked up in a tight battle as the opening stanza featured 13 ties and five lead changes. After a service error by the Warriors put the Pride up 13-12, Hawaii scored five of the next six points to earn a 17-14 lead. Springfield closed to within two at 23-21 thanks to another UH service error, but kills by Johann Timmer and Jarrod Lofy gave UH the set.
The teams went back and forth in Set 2, until a kill by Lofy and an ace by Marks gave UH a 16-14 lead. After a Perez kill brought the Pride within one at 18-17, the Warriors put together three straight points for a 21-17 lead. Hawaii extended its lead to set point at 24-21, only to have Springfield storm back with three straight points on kills from Pelletier, Perez and a double block from O'Leary and John Coen to even the score. But UH closed out the match with a Hunt kill and a Springfield attack error.
The third set was controlled from the onset by Hawai'i as the Warriors jumped out to an 8-3 lead with a five-point scoring run. Later in the set, UH reeled off five more points for a 16-7 advantage and cruised to a 25-12 win.
Springfield will return to action on Friday evening when it takes on UCLA at 9:00 pm.
With seven national championships to his credit, Charlie Sullivan will enter his 15th season as head coach of the men's volleyball team in 2013. In 14 previous years at the helm, Sullivan owns an overall record of 224-155 for a .591 winning percentage. Read more.
