CHARLESTON, WV – Harvard men's volleyball split its weekend series with Charleston after falling, 3-1 this afternoon. 

Zach Berty had another strong performance against the Golden Eagles, tallying 11 kills with a .321 hitting percentage while also adding nine digs and three aces. 

How it Happened

The opening set was a back-and-forth affair as either team struggled to gain a significant lead.  The Golden Eagles grew their largest lead at 14-11 but a 4-1 Harvard run tied the set.  Charleston overtook the lead again late, but Harvard battled through three set points to continue to battle.  The Golden Eagles ultimately stole the set, 25-23 to go up 1-0 in the match. 

Harvard regrouped in the second set, rattling off a dominant 8-1 run to blow past Charleston and lead 21-14.  Despite the Golden Eagles' resilience, Harvard evened the match with a 25-21 second set. 

Charleston took back momentum with a strong third set.  After a back-and-forth battle early, the Golden Eagles slowly pulled away before using a dominant 8-1 run to close the frame at 25-14. 

Poised to force a fifth set for the second straight match, the Crimson evened the set at 11-all before pulling in front at 16-14.  Charleston bounced back with a 3-0 run to pull ahead again.  The Golden Eagles were eventually able to hold off Harvard and secure the final set, 25-22. 

Harvard Highlights

• Zach Berty had another strong showing, tallying 11 kills with a .321 hitting percentage while also co-leading the team with nine digs. 
• James Bardin joined Berty with nine digs while also totaling seven kills with an impressive .778 hitting percentage. 
• Logan Shepherd (9), Owen Fanning (8), and Owen Woolbert (6) all had strong offensive showings to contribute to the Crimson's 45 total team kills.
• As a team, the Crimson registered six services aces led by three from Berty. 

Next Up

The Crimson will return to action next weekend as it travels to Provo, UT to face BYU on Saturday, March 15 at 9:00 p.m. ET.