Harvard Splits Break Matchups

You can’t win them all.

Splitting its road matches last weekend, the Harvard men’s volleyball team (7-10, 4-4 Hay) slipped back to .500.

Although the Crimson snapped its four-game losing streak against Sacred Heart (6-12, 1-7) last Friday with a 3-1 victory (26-30, 30-20, 30-24, 30-16), Harvard could not overcome NYU (19-6, 7-1), falling to the Violets for the second time this season, 3-0 (30-24, 31-29, 31-29).

“It definitely ended on a poor note with the loss to NYU yesterday,” senior Brian Rapp said. “We really got our team back on track with the win at Sacred Heart. We were looking to use that game to work out our lineup situation and go into NYU and beat them. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out the way we wanted to.”

After senior Jordan Weitzen was sidelined with an injury, the Crimson struggled to fill the outside hitter position. Rapp took it over for this weekend’s matches.

“We needed to have some sort of lineup change after all these losses in a row,” Rapp said. “After Jordan quit [playing], it became looking for someone to fill the outside spot. Other people had been given the opportunity, but this was what we thought was the best lineup change.”

But for the third straight year, Harvard will not move on to postseason play. Springfield and NYU clinched first and second, respectively, in the Hay Division and will advance to the EIVA playoffs.

NYU 3, HARVARD 0

Although the Crimson pushed the last two frames into extra points, Harvard was unable to overtake NYU in the final moments of the games and ultimately fell to the Violets, 3-0.

“We didn’t play poorly at NYU, but I think we just needed somebody...to step up and make a play,” Rapp said.

NYU is moved to 7-1 in the EIVA and clinched a playoff berth for the Hay Division.

The Violets started off the match strong, notching a hitting percentage of .441 to the Crimson’s .276. NYU’s offensive edge secured a 30-24 victory in the first stanza.

The Crimson and the Violets remained neck-and-neck throughout the second frame, keeping the score close until the teams reached a 29-29 tie. But NYU slammed down a game-winning kill after Harvard committed an untimely attacking error, clinching the game at 31-29.

In the third and final game, NYU seemed to have won the match when it gained a late lead, 29-21. But Harvard went on a crucial eight-point run that tied the score at 29. Yet the Violets put a stop to the Crimson comeback with two successful kills that ended the game, 31-29, and the match.

“It was a lack of execution at the end,” Rapp said. “We were up five points [in] the second game. [In game three] we waited till 29-21 to make a comeback. Overall, we played well, but things didn’t turn out in our favor.”

Junior captain Brady Weissbourd recorded 17 kills, five digs and three block assists against NYU. Sophomore Erik Kuld slammed down 14 kills and reached an attacking percentage of .385. Rapp tallied 14 digs, and senior Jamie Crooks notched six digs and seven kills.

HARVARD 3, SACRED HEART 1

Breaking its four-game losing streak, the Crimson overpowered Sacred Heart 3-1 last Friday night at the Pitt Center in Fairfield, Conn.

In the first stanza, Harvard was plagued with errors, committing seven serving and attacking errors. The Crimson misfires allowed Sacred Heart to take the lead and seal the first game, 30-26.

Harvard still struggled in the second game, as it made another seven attacking errors. But the Crimson’s defense forced 11 Pioneer errors, putting Harvard ahead for the win, 30-20.

After seizing a 4-1 lead, the Crimson kept hold of the lead throughout the third frame. Harvard slammed down 14 kills during the stanza.

In the fourth and final game, the Crimson secured a hitting percentage of .391 while limiting Sacred Heart to .135. Harvard forced 15 Pioneer errors, while committing only two of its own, allowing the Crimson to take the game and the match.

“The game at Sacred Heart after we dropped the first one was really good,” Rapp said. “It gave us some good momentum against NYU.”

Sophomore setter Gil Weintraub led the charge with 38 assists, four blocks, two aces, and nine digs. Crooks and Weissbourd led the offense with 14 kills each, while Kuld tallied 11 kills of his own and recorded six digs.

The Crimson’s regular season will end this Wednesday against New Haven at the Malkin Athletic Center. Before the match begins, Crooks, Rapp, and Weitzen will be honored during senior day.

—Staff writer Courtney D. Skinner can be reached at cskinner@fas.harvard.edu.