Galloway, New Jersey - Stevens traveled all the way to Stockton University for a tournament in their huge athletic complex this past Sunday. 5 matches were played.
Stevens B started off the day with a match against Drexel's B team. Tired from the long ride, they didn't perform as well as they could have. Though their blocking was good during this match, especially by middle blocker Matthew Vaughan, the mistakes were piling up. Stevens lost the first set 15-25. They picked up the pace in the second set. Solid receiving by libero Shawn Aviles allowed Miles Bird to make some serious hits. However, Drexel's interesting play style gave them too many unexpected points. Only when the game was close to finishing did setter Justin Cheng finally find the team's rhythm, though Stevens B would use this to their advantage in their next match. They lost the second set 20-25.
The second match now had Stevens A going against TCNJ, who were a bit stronger than anticipated. Intuitive calls by Justin Monahan enabled the team to be ready for anything that came their way. They were neck and neck for most of the match, with both teams constantly gaining points and switching servers. Both teams were giving it their all, but TCNJ won in the end with Stevens losing the first set 24-26 and the second set 23-25, both very close games.
Now feeling warmed up, the third match went much better and had Stevens A versus Stockton. Lightning-fast reactions from libero Brian Gao kept the ball from hitting the ground time and time again. Harry de Haas and Rhys Robichaud were practically flying in the air as they went for crazy high spikes. The first set was won 25-20. They followed suit and used their high energy to continue winning. Creatively angled spikes by Colin McDermott were shocking to view as the team scored more and more points. Stevens swept the floor and took the second set 25-18.
The fourth match of the day was the last for Stevens A, who went up against Drexel's A team. Despite having back-to-back games, Stevens still showed an impressive display on the court. Middle blockers Max Metzner and Matei Moldoveanu were shutting down the other team left and right, winning the first set 25-18. After an already amazing set, Stevens proceeded to outperform even themselves. The entire team was in sync, and with points made possible by setter Ethan Chen, they took the second set with an incredible score of 25-13.
The fifth and final match was Stevens B against St. Josephs. The first set was a slow start, and the opposing team had a big advantage in points. It seemed like Stevens would lose. However, by really focusing and being calm and collective, they were miraculously able to tie up the game right when the opposition was about to win, especially due to strategically placed hits by Enoch Chan. Now filled with confidence, Stevens was able to take the first set 27-25. This momentum carried through to the next set. Powerful cannon-like serves from Jason Casper, well timed blocks by Matthew Wrobel, and strong spikes by Jake Roberts, Stevens won a great second set 25-19.
This set of matches had some great playing all across the board. The Ducks will have their next tournament at Montclair State on March 19th.
