Pride Secure Sweep on Senior Night

WESTON, Mass. – The Regis College men's volleyball team hosted the Emerson Lions at Higgins Court tonight, securing a dominant sweep over their Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) foe. With the victory, the Pride improved to 18-11 overall and 6-7 in GNAC play.

Brandon Valdes (Miami, Fla.) and Adam Bonica (Quincy, Mass.) led the offensive charge with nine and eight kills, respectively, while Tyrell Bucasas (Waialua, Hawaii) facilitated the attack with 26 assists. John Nangle (Lowell, Mass.) and Robert Burch contributed on both ends, recording four kills each along with five and three blocks, respectively.

For Emerson, Chase Fagen delivered a game-high 17 kills, while setter Bryson Beck matched Bucasas with 26 assists.

How it Happened:

• The Pride took control early, doubling up Emerson after four unanswered points made it a 4-2 game. The teams remained locked at 10 apiece before back-to-back kills from Burch and Nangle gave Regis a three-point edge. The Pride maintained their lead, extending it to as many as four before a Lions service error sealed a 25-22 first-set victory for Regis.
• Both teams traded leads throughout the second set before three unanswered points by the Pride gave them their largest advantage at 20-17. The Lions responded, surging ahead with a two-point lead at 23-21 after a key kill. However, Regis battled back to force ties at 23 and 24. The duo of Burch and Nangle struck again with a huge block, breaking the deadlock and propelling the Pride to a hard-fought 26-24 win in set two.
• The Pride dominated the third set from the start, doubling up the Lions 12-6 and forcing an early timeout. From there, it was all Regis, highlighted by a pair of solo blocks from Nangle and another from Bucasas that fired up the crowd. The Pride never looked back, cruising to a commanding 25-15 victory to secure the match sweep.

Inside the Numbers:

• Prior to the match Regis College Men's Volleyball celebrated their five seniors: Malakai DeHuelbes (Tucson, Ariz.), Robert Burch (Coxsackie, N.Y.), Tyrell Bucasas, Sam Segura-Suarez (Berwick, Pa.), and Francesco Buanne (Caserta, Italy)
• Set two featured 18 ties and nine lead changes before the Pride ended up on top, 26-24.
• Robert Burch recorded a season-high three blocks, while Malakai Dehuelbes' seven digs marked his second-highest total of the season.

Up Next:

The Pride will wrap up their regular season on the road this Saturday, April 5, as they face the Dean College Bulldogs at 7 p.m.