MAHWAH, N.J. — The St. Joseph's University, N.Y. (Brooklyn) men's volleyball team opened their Skyline Conference schedule with a split of Saturday's tri-match hosted by Ramapo College. The Bears dropped a straight-set decision to the Roadrunners (14-25, 17-25, 22-25) before sweeping the SUNY College at Old Westbury (25-12, 25-22, 25-21).
How it Happened vs. Ramapo
The Bears saw a 9-4 lead early in the first set. The Roadrunners drew the set level at 13 before amassing a 13-1 run to claim the period, 25-14. The Bears began the second stanza with a 7-4 lead. Similar to the first set, the hosts equalized at 10-10 before creating a five-point cushion , 17-12. The lead grew to as many as eight at the end of the set, 25-17.
Ramapo kicked off the third set on a 5-1 run. At 7-5, the sides traded the next eight points before the Bears tied the set at 11-all. A kill from Alex Helfant (Quito, Ecuador/Alliance Academy International) and a Lasha Kemashvili (Brooklyn, N.Y./James Madison) ace eventually saw the Bears possess a 15-13 lead. With the Bears leading 19-17, the Roadrunners notched the next four points, courtesy of three kills, to take the lead for good and earn the straight-set win.
How it Happened vs. Old Westbury
Helfant and Kemashvili combined for 10 of the Bears' 11 kills in the first set with Frank Rivera (Astoria, N.Y./Gramercy Arts) bringing up half of the team's digs. Helfant registered four kills and a service ace in the tail end of the set to win the set, 25-12.
The second set was the closest between the two sides as there were 12 ties and five lead changes. The Helfant-Kemashvili continued to propel the SJBK attack while seven Bears brought up at least two kills. Trailing 19-17, the Bears outscored the Skyline debutants 8-3 to take the set, 25-22.
Despite Old Westbury managing to tie the third set, the Bears held the advantage throughout. Rivera and Kemashvili posted three kills while Helfant and countryman Frank Tello (Quito, Ecuador/Alliance Academy International) each had a pair. Panther miscues towards the end of the set secured the Bears' 25-21 set win and their first triumph in Skyline play this season.
For the Bears vs. Ramapo
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Helfant totaled seven kills.
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Rivera and Leonel Bravo (Astoria, N.Y./Queens Vocational & Technical) each had a team-best seven digs
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Rivera served up a pair of aces.
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Keiran McMullan (Farmingdale, N.Y./Plainedge) had eight assists and a pair of kills).
For the Bears vs. Old Westbury
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Helfant and Kemashvili each had 12 kills with the former one dig away from a double-double.
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Rivera's four kills added to his game-best 16 digs.
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Tello had four kills and three service aces.
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McMullan posted a double-double of 26 assists and 10 digs.
Up Next
The Bears return to the Garden State on Tuesday, March 5 with a Skyline meeting against New Jersey City University. First serve is scheduled for 7 pm.