POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. -- The Trine University men's volleyball team traveled to New York to take on No. 6 nationally-ranked Vassar College, but fell to the Brewers, 3-0, in a non-conference match in Poughkeepsie, N.Y.
Freshman Chris Dargan (Manhattan, Ill./Lincoln Way West) led the Trine offense with six kills and also had a team-best two service aces. Freshman Parker Beale (Noblesville, Ind./Fishers) was second in kills with four. Sophomore Dan Boren (Fort Wayne, Ind./Homestead) rounded out the top-three leaders with three kills.
Senior Hunter Monday (Beech Grove, Ind./Lutheran) recorded 13 out of the team's 15 set assists. Sophomore Kyle Dixon (Lockport, Ill./Lockport Township) tallied the other two assists.
Freshman Dominic Saenz (Wall Twp., N.J./Wall) led the team in digs with four and was followed by Dixon and sophomore Raviel Winters (Elwood, Ill./Joliet Central) who both had three digs.
In addition to his team-leading kills and ace totals, Dargan had a pair of block assists defensively to lead the squad.
Trine (3-11) stayed with Vassar (13-5) early in the first set tying the score several times, including a 7-7 score following a kill by Boren. The Brewers then recorded three straight points to put a little distance between them and the Thunder. Vassar continued to slowly pull away and went on to lead by as many as seven points in the game that included a final score of 25-18 to take an early 1-0 match lead.
Dargan got the second set underway with a kill to give Trine the early lead. Vassar then scored six straight points to move ahead on the scoreboard and never looked back. A pair of service errors by the home team accounted for the next two Trine points, but Vassar would complete a larger 11-2 run to lead by eight points, 11-3. Vassar later opened up a 10-point lead, 20-10, en route to posting its largest advantage of the set of 13 points with a final of 25-12 and take a commanding 2-0 match lead.
The Thunder jumped out to a 3-1 lead early in set number three that began with an ace by Monday. Neither team led by more than a couple of points for the majority of the game and Trine had a one-point edge, 18-17, after a Vassar service error. The difference in the game was an ensuing 6-0 run by the Brewers that put Vassar ahead for good. Trine looked to make a late run and battled to within two points, 24-22, but Vassar scored the final point it needed before the Thunder could complete the comeback and claimed a 25-22 set win and the 3-0 match sweep.
Trine will take on another tough opponent tomorrow (Thursday, Mar. 5) when they take on Baruch (N.Y.) College. The two teams are set to play at 6 p.m. in New York, N.Y.
