BOSTON, Mass. – The Dean College men's volleyball team was upended by Emerson College on Saturday afternoon, falling to the Lions by a final score of 3-1. With the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) loss, the Bulldogs drop to 6-14 (0-3 GNAC), while the Lions improve to 4-10 (1-3 GNAC).

How it Happened:
-The opening set was tightly contested throughout, as Dean matched Emerson point-for-point early behind kills from Noah Allan (Windham, N.H.) and Brandon Mimande (East Providence, R.I.). Hunter Armitage (Westerly R.I.) kept the offense flowing with consistent distribution.
-Travis Johnson (Taunton, Mass.) and Antonio Varela (East Providence, R.I.)added key swings during the middle portion of the first set, helping the Bulldogs erase small deficits and keep the score even deep into the frame.
-Despite Dean's strong start, Emerson used a late run to edge ahead, narrowly taking the 25–23 set win.
-In the second set, the Bulldogs again showed resilience. Mimande and Allan continued to lead the attack while Johnson complimented from the outside to keep Dean within striking distance.
-Dean's defense, led by Mason Rua (São Pedro do Sul, Portugal) in the back row, extended several rallies and created additional scoring opportunities, However, Emerson capitalized late once again to secure another 25–23 victory.
-Facing a two-set deficit, Dean responded with its strongest effort in the third set, displaying improved efficiency and composure in extended rallies.
-Allan, Mimande, and Johnson combined for multiple kills during the set, while Armitage spread the ball effectively to keep the Emerson defense off balance.
-The Bulldogs showed grit in extra points, battling through multiple set-point situations before finally breaking through for a 29–27 win to extend the match. This was Dean's longest set of the season, totaling 56 points from both sides.
-In the fourth set, Dean carried that momentum early, with Varela and Johnson contributing key points to keep the set close.
-Rua continued to anchor the defense with timely digs, allowing Dean to stay competitive in long rallies as both teams traded points.
-Emerson ultimately created separation late in the set, using a late scoring push to secure the 25–22 win and close out the match.
 
Standouts:
-Mimande (14 Kills, 28 Total Attempts, Solo Block, 2 Assisted Blocks, 12 DIGs)
-Allan (14 Kills, 27 Total Attempts, Solo Block, Assisted Block, 6 DIGs)
-Johnson (11 Kills, 24 Total Attempts, 3 Service Aces, Assisted Block, 8 DIGs)
-Armitage (41 Assists, Kill, 6 Total Attempts)
 
Next Up:
-Tuesday, March 24^th, 7:00PM Vs. No. 15 Wentworth Institute of Technology (GNAC Contest / Pieri Gymnasium)
 
For Media Inquiries:
Brett Chaves
Sports Information Director, Dean College Athletics
(508) 541-1826
BChaves@dean.edu