BEVERLY, MASS.—Top-seeded Endicott College (14-9) defeated the fourth-seeded SUNY Potsdam men's volleyball team (17-15) 3-1 on Thursday evening in the New England Collegiate Conference Semifinals. In his final game as a Bear, graduate student outside hitter Joe Zimmerman (Fairport, N.Y./Fairport) shone brightly again, recording a team-high 13 kills.
 
The Gulls took the first two sets 25-21 and 25-18 before the Bears rallied for a 25-15 set three win with the season on the line. However, the hosts bounced back and reversed the score in set four to advance to the NECC Championship. Freshman outside hitter Duncan Tenhagen (Buffalo, N.Y./West Seneca West) had nine kills and four digs. Junior middle hitter Jason Hendler (East Meadow, N.Y./East Meadow) posted five kills and five blocks. Senior outside hitter Zaire Rogers (Cheektowaga, N.Y./Cheektowaga) added five digs and three blocks. Graduate student setter Cooper Colesante (Central Square, N.Y./Paul V. Moore) capped his season with 31 assists, seven digs and three blocks.
 
Nikolas Kasprzak had a match-high 16 kills for Endicott along with six digs and four blocks. Mason Mallory contributed 11 kills, five blocks and four digs. Dean Warner had 10 kills and Gabe DeBenedetto finished with 46 assists and five digs.
 
The contest marks the close of the careers of Zimmerman and senior libero Fernando Perez (Azusa, Calif./Azusa). Zimmerman was first team All-NECC in both his seasons in Potsdam. In those two campaigns, the outside hitter compiled 711 digs, 83 aces, 381 digs and 47 blocks. Perez saw action in 54 matches in his two seasons with the Bears.
 
In just their second full season of the three in their existence, Potsdam set program records for wins (17) and conference wins (5). The Bears made their second straight playoff appearance, earned their first home playoff game and captured their first playoff victory.