Jersey City, NJ |  The College of Staten Island men’s volleyball team saw their modest two-game win streak snapped tonight, falling to New Jersey City University as part of non-conference play, 3-1.  Individual scores were 25-18, 23-25, 25-10, and 25-15.  CSI fell to 6-13 overall with the loss while the Gothic Knights improved to 9-15.

CSI broke open a string of three lead changes early by pulling out to a 10-7 lead in the opening set, powered by two Zebin Guo kills, but NJCU was able to ultimately turn the tide, using a J.J. Berdecia kill to tie 13-13 and then an Alexander Umanzor kill and CSI error to take a 17-16 lead.  CSI could not respond, as the Knights assumed an 8-2 run to finish the set, highlighted by another Umanzor kill and two service aces from Luis Ayala.

A Christian Dumadag kill got CSI started in the second set, and CSI held the lead before NJCU took it back and when up by as many as four, 13-9, off of two CSI errors.  The Dolphins stayed the course, and an Adil El Haddad put-away gave CSI a 17-16 edge.  Both teams parried back and forth from there until a Dave Etienne kill for NJCU put the home team up, 23-22.  CSI then came to life, scoring on a Guo kill and then an ace to go up 24-23.  With the set on the line, Tairou Diaman put away another kill to give CSI the 25-23 win.

The intermission between sets proved to be exactly what NJCU needed, however, and the Knights stormed out to an 8-1 lead in the third set.  Another 6-2 run gave the Knights an enormous, 14-3, edge, as Etienne was able to blast another one home.  CSI stayed even later in the set, but by then NJCU had opened up a huge lead and took the set, 25-10.

The momentum shift proved too much for the Dolphins, and after a Herman Liu kill tied the game early at 4-4, NJCU made another run, this time, 9-1, to jump out to a 13-5 lead, helped along by two Etienne aces.  From there, NJCU was able to keep the Dolphins attack at bay, coasting for the 25-15 final.

Umanzor would finish leading all scorers with 10 kills, followed by Julian Moriera’s nine and Berdecia’s eight.  Etienne led all with four aces and five blocks.  Ayala posted 21 assists while Berdecia led the Knights with 11 digs.  Guo, Dumadag and Diaman each posted seven kills for CSI, while Guo also led the way with 11 digs.  El Haddad led all scorers with 24 assists.

CSI will be back in action tomorrow in their home finale, taking on Purchase College at 6pm at The Tank.  It will also be Senior Night as CSI will honor its two seniors, Brandon lei and Ronald Tisbe.