The fourth set started much the same way, with the teams trading points until Harvard launched a 7-1 run to grab a commanding 21-15 lead. The Pioneers took two timeouts in hopes of detracting from the Crimson’s momentum, but Harvard was able to hold out for the 25-18 victory.

The win gives the Crimson momentum going into the final stretch of its season. Sitting in second place in the EIVA standings with a game advantage on St. Francis, Harvard will face only conference opponents for the rest of the regular season.

“The mindset right now is an aggressive one,” Gibbons said. “We can’t slip up, and we’re gunning for [first-place] Penn State next time we come across them. They’re a good team, but we’ve been playing well, and I think we can surprise them.”

The Crimson returns to the Malkin Athletic Center next weekend for the team’s last home games of the season against New Jersey Institute of Technology and Rutgers.

Saturday’s game against NJIT will serve as the team’s senior night, where co-captains Jones and Dan Schreff will be honored.

—Staff writer Peter G. Cornick can be reached at pcornick@college.harvard.edu.