Staten Island, NY |  For the first time this season the College of Staten Island men’s volleyball team was able to take victory in a multi-set match, getting by York College in what was the CUNYAC finale for both teams, 3-1.  Individual set scores were 25-18, 22-25, 26-24, and 26-24.  The Dolphins improved to 6-12 overall and 2-6 within the CUNYAC with four games remaining in their regular season, while York dipped to 4-21, 0-8, respectively.

CSI got out to a quick, 3-0, spurt in the first set, but in what would become a recurring theme in the match, York came back time and again.  Two kills by Akil Vaughn did the trick for the visitors.  Still, CSI was able to weather the storm, and after York forced a 13-13 tie, the Dolphins pieced together a 6-2 run to grab a 19-15 lead.  An ace by Adil El Haddad and a kill by Christian Dumadag steadied the run, and after YC cut the lead to 21-17, CSI ended on a 4-1 spurt, finished off by Tairou Diaman and Dumadag kills to end the frame, 25-18.

York got even in the second set, using a powerful net game to thwart CSI’s attack time and again.  Frederis Tapia posted a pair of early kills to poke YC out in front early, 6-3.  CSI took the lead on a Herman Liu kill to make it 10-9.  MEC would score the next three points, the last on a block by Vaughn and Neko Lyttle to take the lead for good,  CSI would tie 21-21 late, but YC ended on a 4-1 bender, finished off by an Akeem George kill to win, 25-22.

The final two sets would finish with identical 26-24 scores in favor of CSI, and as the scores would indicate they were back and forth affairs.  Set four featured a quick start by York, as they went up 7-2 on kills by Vaughn and Tapia.  It wasn’t until much later that CSI forced a 16-16 tie on a Diaman kill, and that prompted a series of three lead changes.  YC took a 23-21 lead, but kills by Zebin Guo and El Haddad forced a tie.  Tapia then responded with a kill for the Cardinals to put them within set point, but CSI finished on a 3-0 bender, started by a Dumadag kill and then two straight errors by YC to cap the set.

The fourth set followed in much the same manner, with a total of eight lead changes.  CSI took a 10-6 early edge, but a 6-0 YC run grabbed the visitors the lead at 12-10, and they held it until a YC error gave it back at 18-17 in CSI’s favor.  After the lead changing hands again, CSI was on the brink of defeat when Diamon errored on a kill attempt, giving York a 24-23 advantage.  CSI then asked for time and after a YC serve error, Dumadag recorded an ace and then Tapia committed an error on the final attack of the game to score CSI another 26-24 win, this time deciding the match.

Dumadag led the way for CSI with 17 kills on a team-high 40 attacks.  Diaman was next in ine with 11 kills on 27 attacks.  El Haddad posted 45 assists, while Dumadag also led defensively with 13 digs.  Tapia led all scorers for YC with 19 kills on 38 attempts while George finished with 14 and Vaughn posted 12.  Adil Manji finished with 26 assists, while Kevin Campbell posted 12 digs.  YC finished with 11 team blocks while CSI countered with three.

CSI will be back in action on Thursday, when they travel to face New Jersey City University in a 7pm affair in Jersey City.
 

GAME VIDEO