MIT overcame a rocky start to defeat Harvard 3-2 (13-25, 27-25, 22-25, 25-19, 15-13) in an exhibition match Thursday night at Cambridge’s Malkin Athletic Center. The Division III Engineers, now 4-0 on the season, rallied from a first-set blowout and a 2-1 deficit to take down the Division I Crimson (1-5) in front of 71 spectators in a match that lasted just over two hours.
The opening set proved disastrous for MIT as Harvard jumped out to early leads and never looked back. The Crimson cruised to a 25-13 victory behind efficient attacking and strong service pressure that forced multiple MIT errors. Harvard’s starting lineup of Brian Thomas, Kai Gan, Zach Berty, Quinn Bishop, Sawyer Nichols, and Owen Woolbert looked comfortable executing their offense against the visiting Engineers.
Set two provided the night’s most dramatic sequence as MIT clawed back from a 20-17 deficit. Braeden Baker took over the match with a series of kills from setter Colin Zimmerman, and the Engineers survived multiple set points to eventually prevail 27-25. The momentum swing proved crucial, energizing MIT’s bench and putting Harvard on its heels despite the teams entering intermission tied at one set apiece.
Harvard regrouped in the third set to retake the match lead with a 25-22 victory. Sawyer Nichols and Zach Berty led the Crimson attack with kills from setter Kai Gan, while MIT struggled to find the same rhythm that carried them through the second set. The back-and-forth nature of the match continued as both teams traded runs throughout the frame.
MIT seized control in the fourth set, building an early lead and maintaining it throughout. The Engineers jumped ahead 9-6 and never trailed, eventually closing out a 25-19 victory to force a deciding fifth set. Nate Toth provided a spark off the bench with multiple kills, while Baker continued his dominant performance at the net.
The fifth set saw MIT race to a 4-0 advantage with kills from Matthew Louis, Nate Toth, and Hansen Fan. Harvard fought back to within 6-5, but the Engineers maintained their composure down the stretch. Colin Zimmerman’s setting and MIT’s blocking at the net proved decisive as they closed out the 15-13 victory to complete the comeback.
Baker finished with a match-high 24 kills on 40 attempts for a .475 hitting percentage, adding two service aces for 26.5 total points. His performance was complemented by Zimmerman’s 52 assists and a balanced defensive effort that saw MIT record 22 block assists compared to Harvard’s 13. Toth contributed 12 kills in limited action while Hansen Fan added 10 digs along with eight kills.
Harvard received solid contributions across its roster despite the loss. Nichols led the Crimson with 14 kills, while Berty added 10 kills and Thomas Phung anchored the defense with nine digs. Kai Gan distributed 25 assists before giving way to Adrian Shevchuk, who added seven assists in relief. The exhibition provided both programs valuable reps as they continue their respective seasons, with MIT’s UVC campaign and Harvard’s EIVA schedule still ahead.