BROOKLYN, N.Y. — The St. Joseph's University, New York (Brooklyn) men's volleyball team earned a 3-1 victory over the University of Mount Saint Vincent on Wednesday evening at The Hill Center. Dropping the first set 16-25, the Bears took the remaining three sets, 25-19, 25-20, and 25-21.
The UMSV attack came out strong in the first set, leading 12-4 behind a stretch of kills and a pair of service aces. The Bears closed the gap to nine, but the visitors maintained control to secure the frame, 25-16.
The Bears regrouped in the second stanza and capitalized on early Dolphin miscues to hold a 7-2 lead. The Dolphins leveled the set at nine before kills from Etvola Sango (Kinshasa, DR Congo) and Jeremias Martinez (Elmhurst, N.Y.) helped St. Joseph's regain momentum. The duo combined for four more kills down the stretch, while Trey DeMeo (Barnegat, N.J.) and Mark Belov (Brooklyn, N.Y.) each added three during the run, powering SJBK to a 25–19 set win to even the match.
Both teams traded points early in the third set before the Dolphins found a rhythm and built a 15–11 lead. The Bears responded with a 14–5 run, sparked by setter Jack Buscaglia (Hackensack, N.J.), who spread the offense across six different hitters. Martinez led the surge with a pair of kills as the Bears claimed the set and a 2–1 match advantage.
The fourth set remained competitive early before St. Joseph's pulled away late. Martinez, DeMeo, and Sango again provided key offense as the Bears created a small cushion in the closing rallies. A final push sealed the set and the match, giving St. Joseph's the four-set conference victory.
Martinez led the team with 16 kills while hitting .333. DeMeo recorded a double-double with 11 kills and 10 digs, and Sango also reached double figures with 10 kills. Buscaglia tallied 38 assists across the pins, adding seven digs and five kills. Belov and Corey Zaccagna (Barnegat, N.J.) contributed four kills apiece to complete the offensive effort.
Defensively, Matthew Cottone (Oakdale, N.Y.) brought up 15 digs while Keiran McMullan (Farmingdale, N.Y.) had eight of his own.
The Bears are back at The Hill Center this Saturday, March 14 at 1 pm, hosting Sarah Lawrence College.
