12th Ranked Newbury Tops Eagles, 3-1

The trio of Matt Talamantes (Sylmar, Cal.), Mark Thomas (Wilbraham, Mass.) and Bryan McDermand (Palatine, Ill.) registered 16 kills each with Talamantes adding a match high 25 digs as 12th-ranked Newbury College topped host Daniel Webster College, 3-1 in a NECVA New England Division and NECC meeting Thursday night at Mario Vagge Gymnasium.

Thomas added six blocks and McDermand added 17 digs as the Nighthawks (18-10, 7-3 NECVA, 5-1 NECC) halted a five match skid and swept the regular season series from the Eagles with the 30-27, 30-18, 29-31, 30-11 victory. Matt Sadowski (Feeding Hills, Mass.) dished out 34 assists while Mike Biuso (S. Setaucket, N.Y.) added 29.

Ian Catenzaro (Londonderry, N.H.) led Daniel Webster (3-10, 2-9 NECVA, 2-3 NECC) with 11 kills and nine digs, while Chris Shannon (Ronkonkoma, N.Y.) added 10 kills and Eric Smith dished out 20 assists, adding eight digs.

Game one saw seven ties and five lead changes as the Eagles trailed early 13-9 before rallying to tie it at 15 on an Emmons block. DWC would lead 26-22 after a Frick block, but Newbury rallied with an 8-1 run keyed by three straight kills from McDermand to close out the 30-27 win.

In the second, Newbury never trailed. Newbury held a 17-11 lead before a Shannon kill cut the lead to five (17-12). But two kills from James Beck (Havre de Grace, Md.) and four kills from Talamantes sparked an 8-2 run for a 25-14 lead and Thomas would close it out with a kill for the 30-18 final.

The third set saw 13 ties as the Eagle defense withstood the Nighthawks attack and neither team held more than a two-point lead. Tied at 28, Catenzaro buried a kill, added another for a 30-29 lead and the Eagles closed out the 31-29 win on a Newbury hitting error.

Newbury closed things out in the fourth, jumping out to leads of 5-0 and 10-3 and would build the lead to as many as 15 (20-5) after a Max Daley (Cranston, R.I.) kill. Talamantes' 16th and final kill of the night closed out the 30-11 win.

The Eagles return to action Saturday as they visit Elms College for a tri-match that also includes Baruch College beginning at Noon. Newbury hosts Lesley and Southern Vermont in a NECC tri-match Saturday at Noon.

-  Game story submitted by Ken Belbin, Daniel Webster College