NECC TOURNAMENT: No. 1 Endicott Hosts No. 5 Newbury In Semifinal Round On Thursday

BEVERLY, Mass. – The first-seeded Endicott men's volleyball team will begin its quest to capture its fifth straight conference title on Thursday at 7 PM when the Gulls host fifth-seeded Newbury College in the New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) Tournament semifinals at MacDonald Gymnasium. 

THE MATCHUP: Endicott is 2-0 against Newbury this season, and 26-8 all-time versus the Nighthawks dating back to February 29, 2000. The Gulls have won the last 11 matches in a row versus Newbury, which includes five consecutive 3-0 victories as well. 

ENDICOTT (19-10 | ROSTER | SCHEDULE | STATS): The Gulls posted a perfect 12-0 league record to earn the No. 1 seed in the tournament and a bye into the semifinals. Endicott is currently 8-2 in its last 10 matches, which includes a 3-2 victory over No. 13 nationally ranked MIT. Among all conference teams, the Gulls are first overall in kills (1185) and points (1563.0), second in hitting percentage (.246) and assists per set (10.54), and third in digs per set (10.63). 

NEWBURY (10-15 | ROSTER | SCHEDULE | STATS):  The Nighthawks are 4-1 in their last five matches, highlighted by a 3-0 victory over Eastern Nazarene in the NECC Tournament quarterfinals on Tuesday. Newbury currently ranks fifth in kills (648), hitting percentage (.109), assists per set (7.49), and second in digs per set (10.63) in the NECC. 

WHAT TO WATCH FOR: Endicott freshman outside Bryn Lipton (Rockford, Ill.) has been a dominant force for the Gulls all season long. Statistically among all student-athletes in the NECC, Lipton ranks second in kills (280), fourth in kills per set (3.08), ninth in hitting percentage (.234), 19th in digs pet set (1.47) and 19th in blocks per set (0.40). 

Meanwhile, for Newbury, Joshua Thorne (Oxford, Conn.) ranks third in kills (245), fifth in kills per set (3.02), 14th in hitting percentage (.175), third in service aces (46), and fourth in digs and digs per set (189, 2.33). 

NECC TOURNAMENT

First Round – Tuesday, April 11th 

Match 1: #5 Newbury College 3, #4 Eastern Nazarene College 0

Match 2: #3 Elms College 3, #6 Southern Vermont 0 

Semifinals – Thursday, April 13th 

Match 3: #5 Newbury @ #1 Endicott College – 7:00 PM

Match 4: #3 Elms @ #2 Regis College – 6:00 PM 

Championship – Saturday, April 15th 

Match 5: Match 3 winner vs. Match 4 winner – TBA 

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