Men’s Volleyball Wins Inaugural NCAA Championship By Steve Raczynski, Director of Sports Communications, and Brian Magoffin, Assistant Director of Sports Communications
THE SPRINGFIELD COLLEGE men’s volleyball team won the inaugural NCAA Division III Men’s Volleyball Championship by defeating Carthage College in three sets in Blake Arena on April 29. In front of more than 1,200 screaming fans, Springfield won in straight- sets, 25-21, 25-23, 25-16.
Springfield ended its season with 21 straight wins and with an overall record of 33- 5. The Pride concluded a dominant season in Blake Arena, owning an 18-0 record on its home court.
It proved to be the first NCAA Division III team title in any sport for the College, and its first NCAA team title since the 1994 men’s lacrosse team won a title when Springfield represented Division II before shifting to Division III in 1995-96.
Junior Mike Pelletier posted a match-high- tying 10 kills, along with a team-high seven digs, and three blocks to earn MVP honors. He was featured in the “Faces in the Crowd” of the May 21 issue of Sports Illustrated. First-year student Angel Perez also had 10 kills, along with five digs and a .474 hitting percentage, while junior Greg Falcone controlled the middle with nine kills at a .667 clip to go along with three blocks. First year Keaton Pieper finished with 35 assists as he once again ran the nation’s top offense to a .412 hitting percentage.
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In addition, sophomore Jimmy O’Leary added seven kills, hitting .500, while sopho- more Nick Ferry posted five digs. It was the top two hitting teams in the country which came out on fire to start the national championship contest, connecting for kills on 13 of the first 18 combined swings. It was a back and forth battle to start, but the top-seeded Pride gained a three-point lead after a Pieper ace made it 12-9 midway through the first game and prompted a Carthage timeout.
After Carthage tied things at 13-all, the Pride regained control of the set. Falcone and Perez notched kills and O’Leary and Alistair Matthews registered service aces to put Springfield ahead at 18-14. Down the stretch, the Pride used an incredible dig from Ferry that resulted in a huge swing for Perez for set point. Eventually, a Carthage service error gave the hosts the first set, 25-21.
With the teams tied at 10 to begin the second set, Springfield finally gained some separation after Falcone pounded two kills in a three-point stretch for the hosts, making it 13- 11. Springfield stretched its lead to 23-17 on a Falcone and Pieper block, but Carthage would not go away. The visitors battled all the way back, using a triple block to get within one at 24-23. However, a Carthage attack error at set point halted the comeback attempt and gave
Springfield a 25-23 second set win. With the championship within its reach, the Pride continued its great play into the third set. Tied at six early in the third, Springfield ripped off a 9-3 spurt that included six kills to gain complete control. Carthage had no answers for Springfield’s offense and a Perez kill made it 20-11 as the home crowd could sense the victory. After Carthage went on a quick 3-1 spurt, Pieper once again used a great look to set up Perez at 22-14, and his monster swing out of the middle resounded through the arena, garnering the largest ovation of the match.
From there, Falcone and O’Leary kills made it 24-16 with Pieper serving for the win. With the home crowd on its feet, Pieper found Matthews one last time on the right side, and the junior pounded a kill off the Carthage block to complete Springfield’s bid for the inaugural NCAA Division III Men’s Volleyball Championship.
Prior to the Championship, a vote by head coaches from across the country selected Charlie Sullivan the 2012 AVCA Division III Men's National Coach of the Year, while his assistant coach, Kevin Burch, was named the AVCA Division III Men's National Assistant Coach of the Year.1
TRIANGLE 3 Vol. 83, No. TRIANGLE
Vol . 83 No. 3
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