The Harvard men’s volleyball team opened up its season with a victory over Rivier College (N.H.) at the Malkin Athletic Center last night, 3-2 (30-23, 28-30, 26-30, 31-29, 17-15).

The Crimson opened up a 3-0 lead in the fifth frame, but the Raiders charged back to take a 12-8 lead and force a Crimson timeout.

“I just said ‘We [need to] stay focused, and we [need to] play the ball,” Harvard coach Rob Keller said. “We were just beating ourselves [up to that point].”

Out of the timeout the Crimson appeared to be on the brink of defeat. But senior middle blocker Juan Carlos Cardet contributed two blocks and a kill as Harvard reeled off a 6-1 run to take a 14-13 lead. The Raiders took the next two points and were serving for the match when Cardet slammed home another kill. After two unforced errors by Rivier, the Crimson took the fifth game and the match 17-15.

“Every time I have to move to the right, I’ve got [senior setter] Russ Mosier blocking with me, so that gives me a lot of confidence,” Cardet said.

Harvard stumbled out of the gate in game four, falling behind 12-6. The Crimson stormed back on the strength of three blocks to pull within two, 14-12. Harvard finally pulled even after a kill by sophomore outside hitter Seamus McKiernan and a Raider carry knotted the game at 21.

“[McKiernan] is a great athlete,” Keller said. “A lot of guys wait for the game to come to them, but a guy like Seamus makes the game happen.”

The Crimson took the lead 25-24 after another Raider unforced error, and never trailed again en route to a 31-29 victory in the fourth frame.

Rivier controlled the play in games two and three, only trailing for one point during that span. In the third game Harvard managed to pull within one, 25-24, after a kill by McKiernan. But three Crimson unforced errors shifted the momentum to the Raiders, who took the game 30-26.

Harvard led 25-24 in the second game and seemed poised to take a 2-0 lead in the match. Two Crimson mistakes and a Rivier block gave the lead back to the Raiders, 27-25. Harvard managed to pull even at 27 before three Rivier kills gave the Raiders a 30-28 game two victory.

The Crimson dominated game one, jumping out to an 11-4 lead. Rivier chipped away at the Harvard lead and managed to pull to within two, 25-23. But the Crimson slammed the door, as junior outside hitter Will Reppun registered a kill and a block, triggering a five-point run to close out the frame.

Starting the season on the heels of an extended break, the five-game match was a difficult test of endurance for the Crimson.

“Coming out of final exams, we haven’t been training much, so it was tough,” Cardet said.

This hard-fought victory to open the season has provided an emotional boost for Harvard that should carry over into its next game against Roger Williams on February 11th at 7 p.m. in the Malkin Athletic Center.

“Everyone feels great,” Cardet said. “We’re definitely going out tonight.”

—Staff writer Michael R. James can be reached at mrjames@fas.harvard.edu.