MADISON, N.J. – Sophomore Michael Shipman threw down 12 kills and hit .688, leading the Drew University men's volleyball team to a 3-0 sweep of non-conference foe Bard College in its home opener Wednesday evening in Baldwin Gym.
 
The Rangers (4-3) won by scores of 25-22, 25-18, and 25-15.
 
Shipman committed just one error on 16 swings while also adding four blocks. Sophomore Quinn Donahue dished out 30 assists and two service aces for Drew while classmate Gio Martin contributed eight kills and five digs while freshman Lucas Mondin notched six kills and two service aces. Sophomore Eric Forget and senior Jason Barbosa scooped nine and eight digs, respectively, and senior Barend Oostdam threw down three blocks.
 
Ansel Waisler led the Raptors (1-5) with nine kills.
 
It was a back-and-forth affair in the early going, as the opening set featured 14 ties and four lead changes. The score was tied at 22-all before the Rangers closed the set with three straight kills from Oostdam, Martin, and Barbosa.
 
Drew never trailed in the second set after opening on a 5-1 spurt. Bard closed the gap to one on five occasions, but the Rangers broke it open with a 4-0 surge that put the hosts up 18-12. Martin kicked off the run with a kill before Donahue followed with both of his aces. Bard was unable to get closer than four the rest of the way, and the Rangers ended the set on another 3-0 run, which included a kill from Shipman and a set-clinching ace from Mondin.
 
The Rangers used another fast start to take control early in the final set, outscoring Bard 10-2 out of the gates. Shipman totaled three kills during the stretch while Martin contributed a pair of terminations. The Raptors would not get closer than seven the rest of the match, and Drew used a 4-0 surge to open up an insurmountable 22-11 lead
 
The Rangers return to action with a home tri-match on Saturday, when they take on Ramapo College at 11 a.m. and Eastern University at 3 p.m.