Chicopee, MA- The Sage Colleges' men's volleyball team traveled to Massachusetts to take on Elms College in a non-conference match. Sage jumped out to a 2-0 lead, before the Trailblazers rallied to take the next three sets and the match, 3-2 (28-30, 23-25, 25-18, 25-19, 15-10). Elms improves to 6-2 and Sage drops to 2-4.
Sage's senior outside hitter Bailey Cecchi (Agawam, MA/Agawam) competed in his backyard after growing up in nearby Agawam. He led the Gators with his 14 kills and added six digs with 14.5 points and was a perfect 20-0 on reception attempts in the action. Nationally ranked in five categories in the latest week's stats. Cecchi has racked up 925 career kills, which ranks second all-time at Sage. He has 1,084.0 points and ranks fourth at Sage.
Sage's senior outside Ryan Guyton (Lockport, NY/Lockport) ranks ninth nationally and leads the UVC with his 0.786 aces per set average. He picked up 11 kills with three aces, five digs in the match and also tallied 14.0 points with a .950 reception percentage on a 38-2 effort. Now in his fourth season with Sage, Guyton is the career ace leader with 168 aces. He is closing in on the Sage career point mark as he has 1,149.5 points and is closing in on the record of 1,212.5 points set by Dylan Krowicki (2012-2014). He is also third in career kills with 901.
Senior libero Casey Fitzpatrick (Haverhill, MA/Haverhill) another of the nationally ranked Gators this season added 14 digs to lead Sage on Wednesday evening and had just four reception errors on 29 attempts. He is second at Sage in career setting assists and digs with 1,368 setting assists and 681 digs.
Sophomore middle hitter Scott Sanders (Los Angeles, CA/Taft) led the team with his 17.0 points after adding 12 kills on a strong effort at the net with a .524 attack percentage. Sanders also added six total blocks with three digs. Rookie setter Ryan Jennings (North Brunswick, NJ/North Brunswick) added 24 setting assists in the match with seven digs, while junior opposite Austin Laverty (Schenectady, NY/Mohonasen) contributed 11 kills with 23 setting assists and four digs. Sophomore middle hitter Shane Wenz (Valatie, NY/Ichabod Crane) added eight kills and seven digs in the match.
Sage is back in action hosting a tri-match at Kahl Gym on February 3 with Wells College and Emmanuel College. Action commences at Noon for the Gators as they take on the Express from Wells and then face Emmanuel at 4 p.m.
