FRANKLIN, Mass. – February 1, 2022 – The Dean College men's volleyball team returned to the court for the first time in 697 days, but fell to Sage 3-0 by scores of 25-14, 27-25 and 25-18.

Dean (0-1) travels to Regis on Saturday for a non-conference match with the Pride along with Northern Vermont-Johnson. Sage improves to 3-3 and will play a tri-match at American International College on Saturday with Nichols.

Freshman Rodrigo Monteiro (Praia, Cape Verde) led Dean with 10 kills and a couple of blocks. Junior setter Tyler Martins (East Providence, R.I.) registered 15 assists and two aces. Sophomore Christian Sayue (Providence, R.I.) added four kills.

Sophomore Joseph Vice (Schenectady, N.Y.) led a balanced Gators attack with seven kills. Freshman Camden Knight (Delanson, N.Y.) tallied five kills, five aces, eight digs and three assists. Graduate student Ryan Jennings (North Brunswick, N.J.) posted 17 assists and four aces.

Sage, having played five matches already this season, came out swinging in the first set and posted 14 kills on .619 hitting to cruise to a 25-14 win. Knight had four kills and two blocks to lead the Gators, while Monteiro put down four kills for Dean.

The second set was back and forth, featuring 10 ties and seven lead changes. The Gators led 23-20 before Dean scored four points in a row, capped by a Monteiro kill, to take a 24-23 lead. The Bulldogs then led 25-24, but Sage scored the next three points to squeak out a 27-25 win.

Dean trailed 12-11 in the third before Sage used a 7-0 spurt to pull away en route to clinch the set 25-18. Each team tallied six kills in the set, but the Gators benefited from five aces and six hitting errors by the Bulldogs.