SportsVolleyball

Leopards win in 5 in final home match of ’01 season

Will Paulson collects the block against Harvard as Todd Cannon and Nate Michael set the defense. Top ranked ULV defeated the Crimson in five games 30-28, 39-37, 29-31, 25-30 and 18-16 in its final home game. / photo by Vicky Martinez
Will Paulson collects the block against Harvard as Todd Cannon and Nate Michael set the defense. Top ranked ULV defeated the Crimson in five games 30-28, 39-37, 29-31, 25-30 and 18-16 in its final home game. / photo by Vicky Martinez

by Christine Owen
Managing Editor

In the only five-game match they have been forced to play all season, the University of La Verne men’s volleyball team battled in the Supertents against Harvard last Friday night, eventually defeating the Crimson, 30-28, 39-37, 29-31, 25-30 and 18-16.

“I think that coming in we were guilty of overlooking Harvard a little bit,” said senior captain and libero Agke Grow. “We got a little more than we bargained for. They pushed us pretty well.”

After fighting through overtime in game two, the Leopards had many of unforced errors in games three and four that allowed Harvard to gain momentum and even the score at two games apiece.

“They stepped up [in games 3 & 4] and we just fell apart,” said sophomore setter Scott Alley, who had 60 assists for the night.

Tied at 12-12 in game five, Harvard took their first lead in the game after a kill by outside hitter Justin Denham (29 kills). Following a quick ULV time-out, the game was tied at 13-13 when sophomore middle Nate Silva put down one of his seven kills for the night.

The two teams traded kills for points, again going into overtime, until a kill by sophomore outside hitter Jake Swann broke a 16-16 tie. A netting error by the Crimson gave the Leopards the match-winning point.

“La Verne served a little bit tougher than we did in game five and that disrupted our offense and our first ball control, as evidence in the last point of the match,” said Harvard setter Michael Bookman.

“I think our team just wanted to go through the motions there in the first two games and that set the tone for the third game,” said ULV assistant coach Morgan Coberly. “When you continuously let a team in, they gain confidence, and Harvard gained confidence, but we saw through.”

For the Leopards, Swann had match-high 30 kills and contributed 10 digs, a solo block and one assist.

Grow had a match-high 11 digs and also chipped in seven kills and one assist. Junior opposite Nate Michael added 12 kills, seven digs, a solo block and an ace.

Friday night’s game was the Leopards last home game and also senior night where Grow was honored for his contributions to the team, including two trips to the national championship and winning the Division III national title in 1999.

“Credit for this match really goes to Agke. He had some incredible digs at just the right time to keep the ball in play,” said ULV head coach Jack Coberly. “That libero position is a leadership position and Agke exhibits and does that on the court and he did that tonight. It was his match.”

Christine Owen, Managing Editor
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