THE BASICS:

- Score: No. 13 MIT 3, Regis 0 (25-21, 25-17, 25-20)

- Records: MIT (1-0), Regis (0-1)

- Location: Weston, Mass. (Higgins Court)

- The Lead: The No. 13 MIT men's volleyball team opened up the 2022 season with a 25-21, 25-17, 25-20 victory over Regis College on the road on Friday evening. This is the sixth-straight season the Engineers have opened their season with a win, with the last three coming against the Pride (2022, 2020, 2019).


HOW IT HAPPENED:

- Set 1: After falling behind early, 6-4, MIT ripped off three-straight points, punctuated by an ace from sophomore Jack Roberson (Darien, Conn.) to give the Engineers a 7-6 lead. The Pride registered the next point to tie the set but MIT scored five of the next six to take a 12-8 lead. Regis stayed close throughout the rest of the set, scoring three-straight points with MIT looking to close out the set, but the Engineers held on for the first set win on a service error to close the opening frame.
 
- Set 2: Tied at 3-3, MIT used a 10-1 run to take a 13-4 lead. Regis responded with a 7-2 run but the Engineers took the next four points to take a 19-11 advantage. The Pride could not muster another run to get much closer as a block by junior Jack Yurkanin (New Lenox, Ill.) and Roberson sealed the second set win for MIT.

- Set Three: Consecutive aces by Regis gave them an early 4-1 lead but that lead was quickly erased by the Engineers, highlighted by back-to-back aces from sophomore Phillip Johnson (Chandler, Ariz.) as MIT pulled ahead 5-4. Regis regained the lead but with the Pride leading 16-12, MIT staged an 8-1 run highlighted by two kills from first-year Grant Oh (Irvine, Calif.) and another from fellow first-year Riley Oh (Irvine, Calif.). The Pride got to within two at 22-20, but MIT scored the next three points to seal the victory.  


INSIDE THE NUMBERS:


- Yurkanin led MIT with eight kills and six digs while adding two aces.
 
- Junior Brett Allen (San Jose, Calif.) recorded six kills while senior Bradley Albright (Burnt Hills, N.Y.) added five.
 
- Junior Seth Fine (Allentown, Pa.) finished with 14 assists five digs, and two blocks in two sets of action.
 
- R. Oh finished the match with eight assists.
 
- MIT held an 8-4 advantage in blocks and finished with a 27-21 advantage in kills and a 10-8 advantage in aces.


UP NEXT:

- The Engineers host Emmanuel tomorrow, January 22 at 3:30 p.m. in duPont Gym and will then head to Nashua, N.H. for a 7:30 p.m. match against Rivier. Please note that only members of the MIT community who are in the Covid Pass system may attend home athletic events during IAP.


STAY CONNECTED:

- For the latest on MIT Athletics, follow the Engineers via social media on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.