PURCHASE, N.Y. — The St. Joseph's University, N.Y. (Brooklyn) men's volleyball team dropped both ends of their Skyline Conference tri-match on Saturday afternoon, dropping a 3-1 result to Manhattanville College (15-25, 12-25, 25-23, 13-15) and a straight-set decision to New Jersey City University (8-25, 15-25, 13-25).
How it Happened vs. Manhattanville
A tight-knit opening set saw the Bears possess a 7-5 edge. A 9-0 stretch by the Valiants gave them a 14-7 lead, holding on to earn a 25-15 set win.
Manhattanville held the lead throughout the second set with the St. Joseph's coming within four, 11-7. However, the Bears were dealt a 25-12 set defeat.
The duo of Frank Tello (Quito, Ecuador/Alliance Academy International) and Alex Helfant (Qutio, Ecuador/Alliance Academy International) combined for eight kills in the third set with the former notching a hitting percentage of .333 in the frame. Following an SJBK timeout trailing 8-4, there was little separation between the two squads. A setting error and Tello's set-clinching kill game the Bears a narrow 25-23 win.
The Valiants started the fourth set with a 6-1 lead. Helfant had three kills in the frame as the Bears were unable to replicate their third-set form, falling 25-13 and dropping the match in four sets.
How it Happened vs. NJCU
The Gothic Knights shut down the Bears attack for much of the match, restricting them to one kil in the first frame. NJCU took the set, 25-8.
The Bears were down by as little as one, 6-5, before a 6-0 run saw the Gothic Knights distance themselves, leading to a 25-15 set win. New Jersey City's attack would be too much for SJBK in the culminating set, winning the stanza 25-13.
For the Bears vs. Manhattanville
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Helfant had a double-double of 12 digs and 10 kills.
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Leonel Bravo (Astoria, N.Y./Queens Vocational & Technical) also had 12 digs to go with a trio of assists.
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Frank Rivera (Astoria, N.Y./Gramercy Arts) and Lasha Kemashvili (Brooklyn, N.Y./James Madison) each brought up seven digs.
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Keiran McMullan (Farmingdale, N.Y./Plainedge) had 15 assists.
For the Bears vs. NJCU
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Helfant finished with four kills and as many digs.
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Rivera and Kemashvili had two kills with the former totaling five digs.
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McMullan had a team-best six digs.
Up Next
The Bears return to the confines of The Hill Center on Monday, March 11 as they host sibling school St. Joseph's (Long Island). First serve is scheduled for 7 pm.