BROOKLYN, N.Y. — The St. Joseph's University, N.Y. (Brooklyn) men's volleyball team defeated neighbors Pratt Institute, 3-2 (20-25, 26-24, 20-25, 25-19, 15-7), on Thursday evening in their first match of the season at The Hill Center.
How it Happened
Throughout the first three sets of the match, a consistent pattern emerged with very little to distinguish between the two teams. Towards the end of the opening set, trailing 23-15, the Bears mounted a 5-0 run – sparked by a pair of kills from Lasha Kemashvili (Brooklyn, N.Y./James Madison) – narrowing their deficit to three at 23-20. However, the Cannoneers ultimately secured the set with a score of 25-23.
In the second set, the Bears started with an early 5-1 lead, which they maintained until Pratt managed to equalize and eventually take a slim 15-14 edge. The lead changed hands once more in the stanza, resulting in a narrow 26-24 victory. Frank Rivera(Astoria, N.Y./Gramercy Arts) led the set with three kills, while Kemashvili and Alex Helfant (Quito, Ecuador/Alliance Academy International) each contributed two.
There were 12 ties in the third set, matching the total from the first two sets combined, along with four lead changes. Seven combined kills from Kemashvili and Helfant propelled the Bears to a 20-17 advantage. However, following a timeout by the Cannoneers, the visitors rallied with eight unanswered points to seize the set 25-20.
The navy and gray took full control of the fourth frame, leading by as much as nine at 17-8. Holding on to the set victory, 25-19, the Bears forced a fifth set behind Frank Tello's (Quito, Ecuador/Alliance Academy International) four kills and Helfant's three.
In the decisive fifth set, the Bears surged to a commanding 10-1 lead, with six of their ten points credited to Helfant. Pratt's attempted comeback fell short, resulting in the Bears' 15-7 set win and a 3-2 victory in the match.
For the Bears
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Helfant logged a double-double of 16 points and 11 digs. He also led the Bears with three service aces.
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Kemashvili finished with 10 kills and was a pair of digs shy of his first collegiate double-double. He also had three blocks.
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Rivera finished the match with a team-leading 14 digs to go with eight kills and a block.
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Tello totaled 10 digs, six kills, and five blocks; including three solo blocks.
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Keiran McMullan (Farmingdale, N.Y./Plainedge) dished out 33 assists.
Up Next
Tonight's match concludes the Bears' February slate. They return to action on Saturday, March 2 with a Skyline Conference-opening tri-match featuring Ramapo College and the SUNY College at Old Westbury, beginning at 11 am.
