Box Score l Updated Stats

ROCHESTER, NY – Sophomore Zachary Gillard finished with a career-high 20 kills and had the deciding block in the fourth set to seal a 25-22, 25-18, 21-25, 28-26 win for Nazareth over Marymount Saturday night in the Golden Flyers season-opener.

Seventh-ranked Nazareth moves to 1-0 on the season, while Marymount moves to 1-1. 

The Golden Flyers had an impressive start in the first set, finishing with a .579 hitting percentage – 12 kills and one error on 19 attempts.  Gillard led the way with six kills on nine attempts (.556). 

Nazareth led 11-9 in the second set before going on an 8-3 run to pull away.

Marymount put together a solid set in the third, hitting .294 (7 kills, two errors, 17 attempts) to get on the scoreboard. 

Gillard started off the fourth set with four consecutive service aces, however, Marymount came on strong to lead by as many as four at 18-14.  Trailing 24-22, Marymount had a service error and Robert Sarneckis came up with a big kill to tie the game at 24-24.

The Saints served twice more for the match before the Golden Flyers rattled off three consecutive points to earn the victory.  Gillard had a kill, followed by a block from Ethan Ross and Luis Vazquez, setting up Gillard for the final block.

Gillard hit .441 with 20 kills and five errors on 34 attempts.  He also finished with five service aces. 

Kane Wittorff hit .462 with seven kills, while Ross went for six kills on a .556 percentage.

Tom Keisling had seven digs.

Nazareth returns to action at the SUNY Poly Invitational on Friday when it squares off against Cairn and Stevenson.