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Vassar box
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CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- Second-seeded Nazareth advanced to Sunday's championship match of the North East Collegiate Volleyball Association Tournament Saturday as the Golden Flyers extended their winning streak to 14 matches with a four-set victory over sixth-seeded Vassar. Nazareth won by scores of 31-29, 25-30, 30-23, 30-25.
Nazareth (28-4) will play fourth-seeded Stevens (24-6) in Sunday's championship match at 1 p.m. at MIT. Stevens defeated Baruch in the other semifinal match. Sunday's winner gains an automatic berth to the Molten Division III Men's Invitational Championship April 17-18 at Ramapo.
To defeat Vassar (and to avenge an earlier defeat), Nazareth got 18 kills from freshman
Billy Gimello. Middle blockers Ryan Johnson and
Kelvin Rolle combined for 27 kills against just two hitting errors in 41 attempts. Senior setter
Frank Leahy amassed 56 assists and senior libero
Chris DeHority had 14 digs.
Ealier Saturday Nazareth downed 10th-seeded Philadelphia Biblical in three sets 30-24, 30-22, 32-30.
Gimello paced the Golden Flyers with 17 kills and five digs and sophomore
Hans Schroeder added 10 kills and six blocks. DeHority amassed 15 digs and Leahy had 43 assists. The victory was Nazareth's fourth over the Crimson Eagles this season.