BRYN ATHYN, PA. — The St. Joseph's University, N.Y. (Brooklyn) dropped both games of their non-conference doubleheader against Bryn Athyn College, 0-3 and 1-3, on Saturday afternoon.

How it Happened (Game 1)

The Lions snatched the Bears' early lead to begin the match, holding an advantage as large as seven, 15-8. St. Joseph's clawed back to as little as four, 23-19, behind a Lasha Kemashvili (Brooklyn, N.Y./James Madison) service ace and Frank Rivera (Astoria, N.Y./Gramercy Arts) kill but fell 25-19.

Rivera and Frank Tello (Quito, Ecuador/Alliance Academy International) were instrumental in a 5-1 run midway through the second stanza to lead 12-8. The Bears held the lead for much of the set before the Lions notched five unanswered points at 21-17 to lead by one, 22-2; ultimately taking the set 25-23.

The navy and gray again held a sizable lead in the third set, 10-4. The hosts clawed back to come within a point of SJBK on a few occasions. However, Bryn Athyn benefited from a 7-1 run to lead 22-16, holding on for the straight-set win.

How it Happened (Game 2)

A 7-5 SJBK lead evaporated as the Lions took five of the next six points. Despite Kemashvili and Alex Helfant (Quito, Ecuador/Alliance Academy International) teaming up for five kills in the set, the Bears fell 25-16.

Bryn Athyn led early before the Bears used a Rivera kill and Levin Ma (Brooklyn, N.Y./Port Richmond) ace to snatch the edge, 7-6. A combination of errors from the hosts and kills from Tello and Richard Ortega (Roselle, N.J./John E. Dwyer Technology) gave the Bears a 16-11 margin before growing to 22-16. The Bears held on to earn their first set win of the season, 25-20.

A neck-and-neck third set saw the Lions hold an 11-10 lead. They separated themselves courtesy of a 11-2 spurt, holding a 22-12 advantage before earning a 25-14 set win.

The Bears turned an 8-5 deficit to a 10-5 lead in the fourth set, thanks to a pair of Ma aces. The hosts reclaimed the lead later in the set, 14-11. St. Joseph's trailed by no more than three for the remainder of the set before falling 25-21.

For the Bears (Game 1)

• Helfant brought up a game-high 13 digs and was a kill shy of notching a double-double.

• Rivera and Tello each had five kills and combined for eight digs.

• Ma registered 15 assists and seven digs.

For the Bears (Game 2)

• Helfant powered the attack with 14 kills, finishing the day with 23. He also had five digs.

• Ma dished out 21 dimes and had three service aces.

• Rivera totaled 10 digs and six kills.

• Tello had five kills and three blocks.

Up Next

The Bears will travel north from the Philadelphia suburbs to Wilkes-Barre for a tri-match against the University of Valley Forge and King's College on Sunday, February 4 at 2 pm.