JOHNSON, Vt. - The Colby-Sawyer men's volleyball team split results during their tri-match on Saturday featuring Northern Vermont University - Johnson and Dean College. The Chargers defeated the Bulldogs 3-2 to earn their first win of the season.

Rapid Recap (NVU-Johnson) L (25-15, 25-12, 25-22): 

• The Badgers took an early 2-0 advantage after a service ace by Luke Walters to start the first set of the match. The Chargers capitalized on errors to get a couple points on the board and put the score at 3-2. Johnson would then go a 10-2 run that featured two service aces by Zachary Anderson and three kills by Sam Munson to take a 13-4 lead. After a kill by junior Austin Ponsness (Queen Creek, Ariz.) off the assist from first year CJ Murphy (Sudbury, Mass.), the Chargers would go on a 5-1 run which included a kill from sophomore Isaac Davies (Hinesburg, Vt.) and a service ace by Murphy. The set continued to be a back-and-forth battle, but the Badgers would sustain their led and win the first set 25-15.
• In the second set, Johnson jumped to a quick 6-0 led that was then disrupted by a kill from Ponsness and a service ace by Davies to make it 6-2. The Badgers were able to extend their advantage to eight points following a service ace from Walters. Colby-Sawyer earned a few points thanks to a kill by Ponsness and a pair of service errors from Johnson, but the Badgers went on a 9-1 run to take a 22-6 led. The Chargers fought to the end with the help of three kills by Davies, however the Badgers would head to the third set with the 2-0 advantage after winning the set 25-12.
• The Chargers captured the first point of the third set after a service ace by first year Maverick Thivierge (Concord, N.H.). After the Badgers went up 2-1, Ponsness tied it with a kill off the assist from Murphy. Both teams continued to exchange points early in the set keeping the score level at 8-8 after an attacking error by Anderson. Following a 4-0 run by Johnson, Colby-Sawyer responded with a 5-1 run highlighted by two kills and a service ace from Davies tying the score at 13-13. After the Chargers regained the lead thanks to a kill by Davies to go ahead 17-16, the Badgers would win the next six points to take a 22-17 advantage. Colby-Sawyer didn't back down as Davies tallied another kill and service ace to bring the score to 24-21. Blocks by first year Patrick Foley (Newton, Mass.) and Ponsness helped hold Johnson at match point, but the Badgers would win the contest defeating the Chargers 25-22 in the third set.

Rapid Recap (Dean) W (25-14, 27-25, 25-19, 25-21, 15-8): 

• The Bulldogs took a commanding 10-2 led to begin the second match of the day. Davies and Ponsness each notched a kill to bring the score to 11-5, but Dean continued to push their offensive going on 6-1 run to extend their advantage by 11 points. A service ace from first year Aiden Fortier (Londonderry, N.H.) and a kill by Ponsness helped disrupt the Bulldogs momentum but the Chargers would lose the first set by a 25-14 score.
• Coby-Sawyer wasted no time in the second set going up 8-2 highlighted by a kill and a pair of service aces from Ponsness as well as two kills by Davies. The Bulldogs fought back midway through the set after stringing five points together to take a 14-13 advantage. After both teams exchanged points, the Chargers went up 18-16 thanks to a kill by Ponsness off the assist from Murphy. Tension was high as the Bulldogs evened the score at 24-24 but the Chargers pulled away to secure the second set tying the match at 1-1.
• It remained back-and-forth for a majority of the third set with Ponsness recording three of the opening four points for the Chargers. A kill by Fortier followed by a couple kills from Davies put Colby-Sawyer ahead 15-12. Even though the Bulldogs closed the gap to 18-17, the Chargers built a 7-2 run featuring three kills from Davies to win the set 25-19.
• In the fourth set, the Chargers held an 8-4 advantage after a service ace by Ponsness. Dean's offensive took over midway through the set going on a 12-3 run to take a 19-12 led. Colby-Sawyer battled towards the end of the set but Dean would take a 25-21 win and force the match into a fifth set.
• The Chargers quickly generated a 7-2 led thanks to a pair of service aces from senior Phu Ngo (Everett, Mass.). The Bulldogs fought back to make it 10-8, but the Chargers would secure the final five points of the set to win 15-8 and earn their first victory of the season.

Player Spotlight:
"We overcame a lot of adversity and challenges," said sophomore Isaac Davies (Hinesburg, Vt.). "Everyone was doubting, but we proved ourselves right." 

Up Next: 
The Chargers will host their first tri-match of the season on Saturday, February 11th featuring Emmanuel College and Fisher College.

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