While most of Stevens was enjoying their well-deserved time off this winter break, the men’s volleyball team was out in force, setting up a great start to the new season. One would think that entering the new Middle Atlantic Conference and facing up against new schools would be a cause for concern, but not for the men’s volleyball team.
Led by senior David Lehman, the Ducks are extremely confident this season. Many top performers from last year are returning in addition to some promising new talent. If the past is any indication, the Ducks’ future looks very bright. Having made the NCAA semifinals the past five years in a row, the Ducks deserve to be respected and feared. This year, they are coming for the title.
After a solid day of three back-to-back scrimmages at home, the Ducks’ spring season was in full swing. Their two matches over winter break were a part of The Clash at Kean tournament held at Kean University in Union, NJ. The Ducks blew right through Elms College with a 3-1 (21-25, 25-16, 25-20, 28-26) win in the season opener. After losing the first set, the Ducks picked up steam and won the next three sets in a row. Junior Jack Bittker had an amazing game, racking up a personal record of 19 kills.
After winning that match, the Ducks kept their momentum going into the second match of the day, against Kean University. The Ducks steam-rolled Kean, winning in three straight sets (25-23, 25-5, 25-23). Bittker, along with fellow Ducks Lehman, Jonathan Frenzel, and Ryan Byrne had game-leading kills and blocks.
The Ducks, after two very successful matches over winter break, brought their energy into their first matches of the spring semester at the JWU Tip-Off Tournament, held by Johnson & Wales University in Providence, RI. The Ducks’ first opponent was MIT. It was a pretty close one, with the Ducks narrowly winning 3-2 (23-25, 25-19, 25-15, 23-25, 15-12). The fifth and final set proved to be the hardest one to win, but the Ducks’ power and toughness shined through. Coming back from 2 points behind at 10-12, the Ducks won the next five points in a row, giving them the set 15-12 and the match.
As if that win was not enough excitement for the Ducks, their next opponent was the University of California, Santa Cruz, to whom the Ducks lost in last year’s NCAA Semifinals. Santa Cruz was not so lucky this year, however, with the Ducks winning 3-1 (25-22, 20-25, 25-20, 25-17).
The Ducks’ last match of the tournament was against Johnson & Wales, who did not stand a chance against the Ducks. After two very close matches before, a 3-0 sweep (25-14, 25-15, 25-23) was a nice way for the Ducks to cool down.
Currently 5-0 (wins-losses), the Ducks are one of only a handful of teams that remain undefeated. Stellar performances over winter break and the spring semester show that the Ducks are ready for anyone and everyone.
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