Junior right side hitter Greg Woods paced the Pride offense with with 11 kills. Although freshman outside hitter Ricardo Padilla Ayala notched 10 of his own, the team ended with a .239 hitting efficiency.
Harvard’s defense was a major explanation for Springfield’s offensive struggles. The Crimson racked up 18 blocks while the Pride compiled nine. Clemens, freshman middle blocker Brad Gretsch, and sophomore setter Nick Bendell each finished with four block assists.
In addition to contributing the defense, Bendell directed the Harvard offense throughout the night. At times his back-sets presented difficulties for Springfield, and the setter led all players with 37 assists.
The Crimson was seeking to rebound from the team’s most recent match, a 3-1 defeat against the league-leading Nittany Lions two weekends ago. That loss dropped Harvard out of the NCAA top 15, a position that the Crimson had held intermittently throughout the season.
“We put some pressure on [Springfield],” Baise said. “We served well…. That’s the kind of character test that’s important.”