Box l Updated Stats

Rochester, NY – Visiting Elmira saved its best for last to down the Golden Flyers in five sets, 25-21, 23-25, 25-17, 22-25, 9-15 Wednesday night in Nazareth's home-opener.  The Soaring Eagles seized the match, hitting .389 in the final set (8 kills, 1 error, 18 attempts).  Zachary Gillard put down 16 kills (.229), to go along with six digs and three blocks in the losing effort.

Nazareth falls to 6-4 with the loss, while Elmira improves to 8-4.

The Golden Flyers broke open a 21-21 contest, with four straight points to win 25-21.  Kane Wittorff had two consecutive service aces and Sean Dillon teamed up with Gillard for a convincing block to end the set

The Soaring Eagles had a strong start to the second set and were able to hold on to even the match after notching a .308 hitting percentage. 

Trailing 12-10 in the third set, Nazareth rattled off five straight points to change the flow of the game.   Gillard had some big kills in the set, six on seven attempts, including one to make it 20-16.   Gillard and Ethan Ross combined for two block assists over the final five points to close out the set. 

Elmira was able to extend the match to a fifth set, after stringing together four consecutive points in the fourth to break an 18-18 tie.  Nazareth hit just .037 in the set (nine kills, eight errors, 27 attempts).

In the fifth set Nazareth trailed 7-3, fought back to even the match at 7-7, before the Soaring Eagles pulled away with eight of the next 11 points.

Wittorff had 11 kills (.280) and seven digs.  Antonio Sargent was good for 10 kills (.222).

Jake Kemp finished the game with 46 assists, while Luis Vazquez led Nazareth with 10 digs. 

Nazareth opens up UVC play this weekend, traveling to MIT on Saturday at 4 p.m., followed by Vassar at 11 a.m. on Sunday.