THE BASICS:
 
- Score:
No. 2 Wentworth - 3, MIT - 0 (26-24, 25-22, 25-21)
No. 1 Stevens - 3, MIT - 1 (25-22, 22-25, 25-22, 25-22)

- Records: MIT (0-2), No. 2 Stevens (4-2), No. 2 Wentworth (2-0)
 
- Location: Cambridge, Mass. (Rockwell Cage)
 
- The Lead: The MIT volleyball team, which is receiving votes in the AVCA Poll, opened the season with matches against the top two teams in the country on Saturday afternoon. The Engineers opened the day with a 3-0 defeat against No. 2 Wentworth and dropped a tough 3-1 contest against defending champions and top-ranked Stevens to conclude the day.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED vs. WENTWORTH:

- Set 1: The opening frame was closely played as there were 11 ties and three lead changes. Trailing 15-11, MIT put together a 7-1 run that featured three kills by sophomore Michael Rini (Huntington Beach, Calif.) and a block with first year Ryan Espinoza (Los Angeles, Calif.). Wentworth tied the score three times before a hitting error gave the visitors a 21-20 edge and prompted a timeout by the Engineers. A kill by graduate student Nick Gustafson (San Diego, Calif.) kicked off an exchange of points that moved the score to 23-22 and resulted in another timeout by the hosts. MIT capitalized on a serving error when action resumed, however, the back-and-forth scoring continued until a pair of kills helped the Leopards capture a 26-24 win.
 
- Set 2: Wentworth built an 11-6 lead, but the Engineers battled back, tying the set at 15 on a kill by Rini. Both teams traded points until a block by Gustafson and sophomore Ben Volokh (Studio City, Calif.) gave MIT a 19-18 lead. The Leopards responded with two kills and a block to go back in front and eventually claimed set point at 24-21 courtesy of a kill. A kill from Gustafson extended the frame, however, a serving error clinched the victory for Wentworth.
 
- Set 3: After a tight start, a serving error and a block created a 15-12 lead for the Leopards. MIT responded with a Gustafson kill and a block by Rini and Espinoza, but Wentworth rattled off five straight points to create a 20-14 advantage. The Engineers chipped away at the deficit as a kill by junior Grant Oh (Irvine, Calif.) brought the hosts within 21-20. This was as close as it would get as the Leopards claimed four of the next five points to secure the win.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

- Gustafson led all players with 17 kills while hitting .300 to go along with three blocks. Oh posted 10 kills as Rini finished with eight kills and three blocks. Senior Max Turner (Chandler, Ariz.) dished out a match-high 33 assists while sophomore Kevin Windisch (Placentia, Calif.) paced MIT with six digs.
 
 
HOW IT HAPPENED vs. STEVENS:

Set 1: The Engineers scored the first points on a kill from Oh but the Ducks quickly grabbed the lead with two straight points. Stevens used a 4-1 run to pull ahead 16-11 but MIT rattled off three straight to get back to within two points. With Stevens holding a 20-17 lead a Gustafson kill followed by two Ducks errors got MIT to within one, but Stevens held on for the 25-23 set win.
 
Set 2: Espinoza tied the match at six with a kill, but Stevens scored four of the next five to take a 10-7 advantage. Two errors by the Duck and an ace from Espinoza got MIT to 17-16. With Stevens up 20-17, the Engineers went on a 5-0 run to pull ahead 22-20, and an ace from Volokh gave MIT the 25-22 set victory.
 
Set 3: MIT raced out to an early 6-2 lead, and an ace from junior Riley Oh (Irvine, Calif.) gave MIT a 13-6 advantage. Stevens used a 5-0 run to get to within one at 17-16 and an MIT error allowed Stevens to get the set even at 18. G. Oh put MIT back up 21-20 with a kill, however, the defending champions scored five of the next six points to win the set 25-22.
 
Set 4: Two G. Oh kills put MIT up 7-6 before a 4-1 run from the visitors gave them a 10-8 lead. After a Ducks attack error, kills from Gustafson and Rini pulled MIT even at 12. Gustafson gave MIT a 14-13 lead with a kill and an ace, but Stevens quickly responded with a 4-1 run to go up 17-15. The teams went back-and-forth and after two-straight MIT points made it a 23-22 Stevens lead, the Ducks scored the final two points to win the match.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

- G. Oh all players with 21 kills followed by Gustafson with 17. Windisch finished with 11 digs and two assists. R. Oh finished with a match-high 29 assists and added two aces.
 
UP NEXT:
 
- The Engineers return to the court on Friday, January 26th for a 4 p.m. road match against No. 20 Marymount. 
 
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