BROOKLYN -- The Cannoneers earned a second 3-0 win in under 24 hours, besting visiting Culinary Institute of America in non-conference men's volleyball play Saturday afternoon.
Pratt sophomore David Cutler led all players with 12 kills and 14 digs, and Matthew Valentine added seven kills with only two errors on 14 attempts for a match-best .357 attack percentage. A pair of Cannoneers registered in double-figures in assists, as reigning Hudson Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Rookie of the Week Brandon Ryan led all players with 13 and Chris Fantin added 12 as Pratt improved to 5-4.
Junior Connan Moody started his afternoon with an ace that sent the Cannoneers to a 5-2 lead in Game 1, and Cutler kills increased the lead to 10-5 and later 19-9. Leading 24-13, a Ryan service ace closed out an opening set 25-13 victory that saw Pratt hold CIA to a -.250 attack percentage while hitting .192.
Another Moody ace landed Pratt on top early, this time at 3-2 in the second set. Back-to-back Valentine kills capped an 11-0 run that busted the set open at 14-3, and a kill from Arsovski followed by a Fantin ace helped close out Pratt's 25-11 win.
The Steels controlled the early going in the third, as a solo block and block assist from Michael Lim helped lift Culinary on top 6-1. A Joseph Berglind ace later upped the deficit to 9-3, but Pratt rallied back to tie on a Fantin ace at 11-11. Another Valentine kill gave the Cannoneers an 18-16 lead, and two consecutive kills from Cutler provided some breathing room at 20-16 before Moody's kill closed out the afternoon with a 25-20 victory.
Moody led all players with a season-high three aces. On the attack, Pratt hit .196 as a team for the day, limiting the Steels to a -.080 attack.
After four a four-match non-league swing, Pratt returns to HVIAC play on Thursday at Yeshiva University at 8:00 p.m. When the Cannoneers met the Macs on February 11 in Pratt's season opener in Brooklyn, Pratt outdueled the reigning HVIAC champs 3-1.
