DUDLEY, MASS – The Nichols College men's volleyball team struggled tonight in a non conference matchup against the Brewers of Vassar College, losing 3-0 at the Nichols Athletics Center this evening at 6:00 PM.

With the loss, the Bison fall to 12-11 (4-0 NEVC) while the Brewers move on to 11-8 ( 1-3 UVC)

The Bison found offensive production from Adam Vincent, who finished the night with six kills, while setter Evan Sachs added four and Austin Gavin chipped in three. Connor Snow anchored the defense at the net with two blocks, while Sachs and Vincent each contributed one. Sachs also orchestrated the offense with 18 assists and led the team defensively with six digs, tying Vincent for the team high.

The first set was the most competitive of the match, with both teams trading points early on. The Brewers gained momentum first, using three kills to take a 4-1 lead and later stretching it to 8-3. The Bison answered with a strong run, cutting the deficit to one behind kills from Snow and Vincent, along with solid defensive play at the net.Nichols continued to build momentum and eventually took the lead, sparked by a three-point run that included a kill from Emmett Jackson. The back-and-forth battle carried into the final points, where the Bison held a 23-21 advantage after another late push. However, Vassar responded when it mattered most, closing the set on a 4-0 run to secure a 23-25 win.

Nichols came out of the huddle, confident in taking a set against the Brewers as they quickly climbed to a 4-2 lead, emphasized with a statement block from first years Jackson and Matt Hand. While Vassar tried to climb back, the Bison silenced the rally again with another block from Snow. The Brewers proceeded to turn up the heat and go on a 9-3 run which was stunted by a kill from Vincent. But Vassar continued from where they stopped closing out the set with a 15-2 surge to take the second set, 12-25

The final set saw Vassar take control early, jumping out to a 4-1 lead and extending it to 8-2 behind strong attacking and a service ace. Nichols battled back midway through the set, with kills from KG Bennett, Vincent, and Sachs helping trim the deficit. Despite the push, the Bison couldn't close the gap, as Vassar maintained control and finished strong to take the set, 15-25, finishing the sweep. 

The Bison will be on the road tomorrow as they head to Utica, N.Y. to face CNE conference opponent SUNY Polytechnic Institute at 2:00pm March 21st, Saturday at the Campus Rec Center Gymnasium.