Close Losses End Season for Crimson

The Harvard men’s volleyball team ended its season with two disappointing home losses last weekend against division rivals Sacred Heart University and New Jersey Institute of Technology at the Malkin Athletic Center. The Crimson (5-16, 3-5 EIVA Hay Division) played every match down to the wire, stretching the Pioneers (18-10, 5-3 Hay) to five sets and taking the Highlanders (3-18, 2-6 Hay) to four sets.

But despite the players’ tremendous efforts, Harvard could not pull through, and the two losses ended any playoff hopes for the Crimson.

“It was a hard-fought season,” Co-captain Gil Weintraub said. “In the end, it didn’t go our way.”

NJIT 3, HARVARD 1

In its final match of the season, Harvard lost to NJIT, 3-1 (25-30, 30-17, 32-30, 34-32). Although the Crimson dominated the first set, the Highlanders bounced back, taking three straight sets to win the match.

“It was a disappointing way to end the season,” Harvard coach Brian Baise said. “We couldn’t come back after last night’s loss.”

Harvard built up a three-point lead late into the first set with consecutive blocks that fired up the players and fans. With momentum on its side, the Crimson would finish the first set, 30-25.

NJIT came out in the second set a completely different team. Due to a slew of Harvard errors, the Highlanders racked up a 12-point lead, and they never looked back, winning the set, 30-17.

The third set saw Harvard take an early 15-11 lead. Yet, NJIT bounced back to tie the set at 30. Coming out of a timeout, the Highlanders scored two consecutive points to take the back-and-forth set.

Harvard appeared undeterred at the start of the fourth game, quickly building a six-point lead. But once again, the Crimson gave up the advantage late into the game, and concluded the season on a sour note, losing, 34-32.

The loss marked the final match for several seniors, including co-captain Erik Kuld, Weintraub, Soren Rosier, and Nicholas Manzo.

“It’s sad to end like this,” Weintraub said, “but it has been a great four years, and I look back on it with great memories.”

SACRED HEART 3, HARVARD 2

The Crimson dropped a five-set thriller to Sacred Heart, 3-2 (30-23, 31-33, 32-30, 26-30, 15-13), last Friday despite strong performances from sophomore Matt Jones and Kuld, who recorded 26 and 19 kills, respectively. Harvard led by one down the stretch of the fifth set before the Pioneers rallied for three consecutive points, including a game-winning block that sealed the match.

“I thought our team played well and hit hard,” Baise said. “I have nothing but good things to say.”

The Crimson started off the match out of sync both defensively and in the service game, and Sacred Heart took advantage with consecutive kills, accumulating a late game-lead at 28-23. Harvard was missing coverage for its blockers, and the Pioneers were able to win several momentum-stopping points with well placed kills. In addition, service errors plagued the Crimson, making the team give up hard-earned possessions.

Harvard fought back in the second set, stepping up its defense and keeping the score close until the final moments. With the scored tied at 31, Sacred Heart committed a crucial service error, and Kuld capped off the Crimson comeback with a well-placed tip to take the set 33-31.

Havard carried its momentum to the third set, pulling ahead, 30-29, in the closing minutes. But the Pioneers recovered with three straight points to take the set, making the score 2-1, and putting pressure on the Crimson to force a fifth set.

“In the third set,” Baise said, “we gave them a little bit of room and they took it.”

But Harvard would use a five-point run to take the fourth. With the scored tied at 13 in the fifth, the Crimson committed a game changing double-touch penalty and Sacred Heart capitalized on its lead with a decisive block to end the match.

“It’s hard to fight back [being down sets],” Baise said, “but I think [our efforts] are indicative of this team at the end of the season.”

Harvard played catch up the entire match, but the players never lost focus and intensity. Kuld exemplified this effort by sprinting out of bounds to save two balls, once diving on the floor and once slamming into the wall.

“It’s incredible,” said Baise about Kuld’s diving save. “That kid does not stop until the ball hits the floor.”

This defeat took the Crimson out of the playoff race, giving the Pioneers sole possession of second place.