Bulldogs Battle Hard in Three Set Fight Against No. 10 Lasell
- Skylar Raskevitz
- 8 hours ago
- 4 min read
Updated: 7 hours ago
On Tuesday, March 3rd the Dean College men’s volleyball team may have fallen in straight sets to Lasell University, but the scoreboard doesn’t fully capture the fight the Bulldogs brought to the court. This was going to be a tough battle for the Bulldogs playing the 10th nationally ranked Division 3 Lasers, but they showed no fear for their second GNAC conference game of the season.
The Dean Daily had the opportunity to speak with head coach, Mark Ledwich, before the game was underway. He was asked about their preparation for a team like Lasell, how it may have been different than previous games they’ve played thus far, and what their focus was on their own side of the net. Right out of the gate Coach Mark said, “Keeping them out of system!”
Everyone came into the game knowing Lasell was very clean and consistent, so it became clear they needed to force them out of system to stay competitive. Forcing a team out of system means they are unable to run a full effective offense, typically with 3 hitters in the front row.
Coach Mark highlighted the challenge of containing Lasell’s top players, saying, "Knowing that their outside is one of their strongest players we really need to have him have less options.” The focus was on limiting his opportunities and taking away some of his options offensively.
The last part Coach Mark touched on was the importance of this young team just learning to play their own game. “Being such a young team it’s all about us taking care of us. If we can handle what’s going on, on our side of the gym, that’s the first thing. It doesn’t matter what the other team's doing if we can’t handle our business first.” With such a young team that’s already growing tremendously, you have to look to your seniors when playing a well-versed team.
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The Dean Daily then spoke with senior captain, Hunter Armitage, getting the chance to see where the players heads where at and the mentality they were entering the game with. His message was simple: “Confidence, but not over confidence.”
As the Bulldogs’ setter, Armitage takes pride in being the steady presence on the court. “I like to try and keep that calm on the court and get people the ball that they need to keep their calm,” he explained.
Understanding the different personalities around him is important. He added, “We have people who always want to be set the ball, who need those opportunities, and people who can be set a little less and still bring that energy.”
For Armitage, it’s all about balance. “Finding the balance between all that is my goal as a setter and captain,” he said.
As 7:00pm hit in Pieri gymnasium, it was gametime! Lasell opened the match with an early statement point, but Dean answered immediately. Arthur Felicio responded with a powerful swing of his own, setting the tone for a team that refused to back down. Even after Lasell strung together a 5-0 run in the first set, the Bulldogs showed resilience, capitalizing on a Lasell net violation and strong hustle plays to stay competitive.
Out of a timeout with Lasell leading 14-7, Travis Johnson delivered a perfectly placed tip that shifted the momentum and reignited Dean’s energy. While Lasell claimed the first set 25-17, Dean’s defensive effort and growing rhythm were clear signs of what was to come.
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The second set highlighted Dean’s adjustments. The Bulldogs came out aggressive, taking the first two points and jumping ahead 6-3 with composed play. When Lasell regained the lead and built its largest advantage at 18-13, Dean didn’t fold. Instead, Johnson sparked a momentum shift with back-to-back blocks that brought life to the bench and cut the deficit. Dean stayed within two points late in the set, showing discipline and fight. Despite a couple of costly errors down the stretch, the Bulldogs made Lasell earn every point in a tight 25-21 finish.
If there was any doubt about Dean’s heart, the third set erased it. The Bulldogs once again struck first and battled point-for-point, tying the set multiple times and keeping the pressure squarely on the Lasers. A perfectly executed tip from Johnson once again at 4-4 showcased Dean’s smart offensive play, and an ace from Arthur Felicio helped the Bulldogs secure their largest lead of the night at 13-10.
Even as the score tightened, tying at 15 and 17, Dean continued to respond. The Bulldogs held an 18-17 lead late in this 3rd set and forced Lasell to stay sharp in crunch time. A late timeout from Coach Mark with Lasell leading 21-19 kept the team focused and composed, and Dean pushed the set to the wire before Lasell ultimately closed it out 25-20.
Though the match ended in a three-set loss, Dean’s steady improvement, defensive intensity, and ability to compete in high-pressure moments stood out. This team knows how to battle when things get tough.
The Bulldogs showed growth with each set, turning the final frame into a battle and proving they’re a team that continues to build momentum with every match. At the conclusion of the game, Coach Mark Ledwich highlighted the grown within each set and the hard fight they gave.
