BROOKLYN, N.Y. — The St. Joseph's University, N.Y. (Brooklyn) men's volleyball team suffered a 3-1 defeat to Manhattanville College (21-25, 23-25, 25-23, 14-25) on Friday night at The Hill Center. 

How it Happened

The Bears saw an early 5-3 edge in the first set before the lead exchange with the Valiants leading 15-9, growing to as many as 20-12. Eight of the next 11 points favored the Bears to reduce the deficit to three but the visitors held on for a 25-21 set win

Both sides traded blows in the second as the set produced 19 ties and seven lead changes. Alex Helfant (Quito, Ecuador/Alliance Academy International) had six kills while blocks from Lasha Kemashvili (Brooklyn, N.Y./James Madison) and Keiran McMullan (Farmingdale, N.Y./Plainedge) down the stretch kept the Bears in the set. However, at 23 all, the Valiants sealed the set with a kill and ace.

Manhattanville raced out to an 8-1 lead in set three but the Bears clawed back to a 10-8 deficit. The Bears clawed back from another sizable deficit, 17-11, to again come within two, 20-18. At 22-18, a 7-1 run – fueled by a pair of McMullan aces and Valiant errors – saw the navy and gray earn a 25-23 set win.

The Valiants held the lead throughout the fourth set, holding a 13-4 advantage, ultimately winning 25-14 and the match 3-1

For the Bears

• Helfant had 17 digs and 15 kills.

• Leonel Bravo (Astoria, N.Y./Queens Vocational & Technical) had a match-best 20 digs.

• Frank Rivera (Astoria, N.Y./Gramercy Arts) finished with 10 kills and six digs.

• McMullan totaled 24 assists, five digs, and three service aces.

• Kemashvili finished with four kills and as many blocks.

• Richard Ortega (Roselle, N.J./John E. Dwyer Technology) logged a pair of aces.

Up Next

The final week of the regular season begins on Thursday, April 4 at 6 pm with the first of back-to-back games against the University of Mount Saint Vincent.