MUSTANGS SNAP THREE GAME WIN STREAK WITH 3-1 LOSS

The Mount Ida College men's volleyball team snapped a three game winning streak Tuesday night falling 3-1 to hosting Johnson & Wales University for their third Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) loss of the season.  The Mustangs drop to 3-5 overall, 2-4 in conference competition. 

Johnson & Wales opened the match with 30-27 win in game one and posted a 30-28 victory in the second game to take a 2-0 lead in the contest.  Mount Ida cut the lead to 2-1 after a 30-28 win in game three, but it would not be enough as JWU posted a commanding 30-16 win in the fourth and final game to secure the 3-1 victory. 

Mount Ida was led by junior Thomas Belton (Springfield, MA/Springfield Central) with 17 kills and nine digs while freshman Spencer Hastings (Orlando, FL/Timber Creak) added seven kills, 13 digs and seven blocks.  Freshman Eddie Pinero (Inwood, NY/Lawrence) notched 31 set assists and eight digs for the Mustangs.

Sophomore Petar Yanakiev (Varna, Bulgaria) recorded a double-double for Johnson & Wales with a match high 23 kills and 10 digs.  He also added two blocks and two service aces on the night.  Sophomore Robert Slough (Buffalo, N.Y.) added 49 set assists, six kills, six blocks and five digs while fellow sophomore Mark Garlock (East Greenwich, R.I.) had 10 kills and four digs for the Wildcats.

The Mustangs will travel to Regis College this Friday for some non-conference action against the Pride starting at 4:00 p.m. in Weston, Massachusetts.