BROOKLYN -- The Cannoneers came from behind trailing 2-1 on the match and 15-14 in the deciding set in outlasting Clinton Hill neighbor St. Joseph's-Brookyln 3-2 Thursday night at the Pratt ARC.
After dropping two of the first three sets, Pratt rallied for a momentum-shifting 25-13 Game 4 win. The Cannoneers steam boiled over to Game 5, in which the hosts hurried out to an 8-2 lead before St. Joseph's used a 13-6 run to bring up match point at 15-14, but Pratt scored four of the last five points to close out the match.
Outside hitter David Cutler led all players with 38 kills and 30 digs, while setter Brandon Ryan paced Pratt with 45 set assists. Libero Will Wong added a career-high 20 digs in the win, as Pratt improved to 7-3.
For the Bears, Thomas Kennedy totaled 22 kills and a match-best .430 attack percentage, adding 20 digs in the loss. Thomas Ambrosino led St. Joseph's with 22 digs, one of four Bears with 10 or more, as the visitors fell to 5-14.
The win by set:
Game 1: After the teams exchanged leads for much of the early going, a 5-1 Cannoneers run bookended by a pair of Cutler kills saw Pratt take a 20-16 lead before five straight from the Bears forced match point leading 24-22. With the set tied at 24-24, a Clyde Delacruz kill and Cutler attack error completed St. Joseph's 26-24 come-from-behind win.
Game 2: With Delacruz serving, four consecutive Bears points gave the visitors an early 5-4 lead. After a St. Joseph's timeout, an Andres Haji-Georgi kill snapped an 18-18 tie. Following another Bears timeout with the set tied 25-25, a Kennedy kill was answered by kills from Cutler and Matthew Valentine before a Kennedy attack error capped a 3-0 Pratt run to end a 28-26 victory, tying the match 1-1.
Game 3: A Norrin Martinez ace sparked a 5-0 St. Joe's run to open the set, and an Alex Smalley kill gave the visitors a game-high six-point lead at 10-4. A bad set from Ambrosino brought the Cannoneers to within three, at 21-18, but St. Joseph's scored four of the next seven, as a Delacruz kill on a pass from Martinez completed the Bears 25-20 win.
Game 4: Trailing 3-2, the Cannoneers scored 23 of the final 33 in the host set the tone for a Game 5. A 7-0 run highlighted by two kills each from Ryan and Cutler put Pratt up 9-3, and a 4-0 run started by a Chris Fantin kill extended the lead to 16-10. With the score 18-13, Cutler took over with a kill followed by four of his match-high five service aces, and Pratt shut the door on its 25-13 win with its second 7-0 run of the set, forcing Game 5.
Game 5: Valentine's ace put Pratt up 4-0 out of the gate in the deciding set, and Martinez's setting error extended the Cannoneers lead to 8-2. Two Smalley kills in a 5-0 St. Joseph's run made it an 8-7 game, but Valentine's kill forced a St. Joseph's timeout with Pratt leading 11-8. A Valentine attack error and a Smalley kill brought the Bears to within one, at 13-12, and Delacruz's kill tied the set at 14-14.
A Haji-Georgi service error brought up match point for St. Joseph's at 15-14, but a Bears attack error and Cutler and Haven Gordon's block assist pushed match point over to the Cannoneers, leading 16-15. Smalley's kill retied the set at 16-16, and Cutler's 38th kill on Ryan's 45th gave Pratt a 17-16 lead. Again at match point, Martinez's attack error ended the marathon, with Pratt prevailing 18-16.
Gordon led all players with three total blocks, all on assists. Cutler added two block assists, and Ryan totaled a block assist and a solo block.
Valentine threw down eight kills for a .235 attack percentage, and Cutler led the team with a .340 attack percentage. On the night, Pratt outhit St. Joseph's .235 to .220 -- .207 to .118 in the deciding set.
The Cannoneers return to play Thursday night at the ARC, playing host to Webb Institute. Before the match, Pratt will honor seniors Fantin, Valentine, and Wong on Senior Night at the ARC.
