CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – No. 20 Harvard men's volleyball (1-2, 0-0 EIVA) grabbed its first win of the 2025 season with a commanding 3-0 victory over St. Thomas Aquinas (1-2, 0-0 ECC) in its home opener at the Malkin Athletic Center this evening. The Crimson earned the win in straight sets (25-18, 25-23, 25-16).
How it Happened
The Crimson made an early statement in the first set, rattling off a 7-0 run to take control and move ahead 9-4. The defensive duo of
Brian Thomas and
Logan Shepherd proved to be a force at the net, combining for three key blocks to hold back the Spartans' attack. Harvard maintained its momentum, extending the lead to 14-6 with a 3-0 run. Despite St. Thomas Aquinas responding with a run to make it 15-10, the Crimson continued to dictate play, eventually securing the first set, 25-18.
The Spartans came out strong in the second set, racing to an 11-7 lead. Harvard responded with four of the next five points, narrowing the deficit to 12-11. Despite St. Thomas Aquinas reclaiming a slight edge at 19-16, the Crimson surged back with a critical run, tying the set at 19. A clutch kill by
Miha Okorn and block from
Logan Shepherd and
Brian Thomas pushed Harvard to a thrilling 25-23 victory, giving itself a 2-0 advantage.
Harvard carried its momentum into the final set, jumping out to an early 5-2 lead. The Spartans fought back, cutting the deficit to 6-5, but the Crimson responded with a decisive 4-0 run later in the frame, creating separation at 17-12. The Spartans could not recover as the Crimson stretched its lead to 23-14. Harvard closed out the match in dominant fashion with a 25-16 set win, completing the sweep and securing its first victory of the season.
Harvard Highlights
- Logan Shepherd led the Crimson attack with 13 kills and hitting percentage of .600, while also contributing four blocks and a team-high six digs on the defensive end.
- Sawyer Nichols added eight kills and three service aces, with both he and Thomas Phung registering five digs apiece.
- Zach Berty posted a .714 hitting percentage with six kills on seven attacks.
- Brian Thomas was a key presence at the net, totaling a career-best seven blocks to help stop the Spartans' offensive efforts.
- As a team, the Crimson hit a season-best .338 while recording 38 total kills. On the defensive end it registered 11 total blocks.
Next Up
The Crimson will return to the MAC for a midweek match-up with Merrimack on Wednesday, January 22. The first serve is set for 7:00 p.m. in Cambridge and on ESPN+.
