“Erik Kuld at the end of game four—just unstoppable,” Weintraub added.

Weintraub gave Harvard match point, notching his tenth kill of the contest. Jones closed it out with a thundering kill, his 22nd of the match.

The Crimson dominated offensively, finishing with 73 kills. Freshman Rob Lothman orchestrated the offense, finishing with 61 assists—a career high.

But it was when Harvard broke down defensively that the Crimson let the visitors back into the game.

After taking the first set, 30-28, NYU came out strong in the second, jumping out to a 14-11 advantage. The Crimson climbed back, tying the score at 15, but an attacking error put the home team down, 22-18.

Harvard got within three after Kuld notched two kills, and then within one following a kill from Jones. But the Crimson did not come closer than that, as it dropped the set, 30-28.

“We had a streak in the middle of the [second] game where we made a series of errors,” Baise said. “They started hitting really well. We started fighting back at the end, but it was too late.”

Harvard recovered from the setback in the second game, though, taking the final two sets to capture its third win of the season.

Luckily for the Crimson, its wins have come at the right time—in conference play.

“We had something to prove that we’re not to be counted out,” Weintraub said. “We’re going to be a contender this year and I think we’re making a great statement.”

—Staff writer Martin Kessler can be reached at martin.kessler@college.harvard.edu.