STAFF WRITER: Aline Flores

FRANKLIN, MA- The Dean College men's volleyball team faced a tough battle against Emmanuel College on Thursday evening, falling in straight sets (25-17, 25-15, 25-16) in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) matchup at Pieri Gymnasium. Dean now falls to 2-11 (0-2) on the year, while Emmanuel moves to 9-7 (4-3).

Emmanuel controlled the match from the start, using a strong offensive attack and efficient defense to stifle the Bulldogs. The Saints recorded 37 kills as a team, compared to Dean's 20, and held an advantage in digs (42-35) and assists (37-17). 

Dean showed resilience throughout the match, keeping rallies alive with strong defensive efforts from Arthur Felicio (Saugus, Brazil) and Mason Rua (Sao Paulo Du Sol, Portugal), who led the Bulldogs with eight digs each. Offensively, Noah Allan (Windham, NH) paced Dean with seven kills, followed by Felicio with four kills and Ayden Rogers (Tewksbury, MA) with three. 

For Emmanuel, Declan Morrison and Cayson Branconier each tallied six kills, while Thor Yingling added five. Setter Jehuda Tawalujan played a crucial role in orchestrating the Saints' offense, dishing out a match-high 32 assists. 

Despite the loss, Dean found success at the service line, with Felicio delivering two aces and Nunu Coward-Jackson (Fresno, CA) adding one. The Bulldogs also held their own at the net, with Coward-Jackson, Felicio, and Hunter Armitage (Westerly, RI) each registering a block. 

Dean will look to bounce back next Thursday, March 6, when they travel to Regis College for another GNAC matchup against the Pride (11-16, 1-3 GNAC).