The College of Staten Island men’s volleyball team continues their 2017 campiagn today, managing a trimatch split at Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, NY. The Dolphins first defeated host Sarah Lawrence, 3-0 , by scores of 25-10, 25-16 and 25-13, but then fell on the neutral grounds to New Jersey City University by an identical 3-0 count, as the Gothic Knights prevailed, 25-14, 25-13, 25-18. CSI is now 2-5 overall this season.
In the opener the Dolphins used two quick kills by Anthony Vigilante to get off to a 7-1 advantage. Later, consecutive kills by Danil Kukovitskiy and Steven Caruso expanded the lead to 15-6 and attack errors by the Gryphons added to what was a lop-sided, 25-10, victory. In the second set, the Gryphons shot out to a 6-4 start, but CSI stayed the course and two kills by Brandon Lei and two aces by Caruso fueled an 8-0 CSI run and they took a 12-6 lead. SLC did not go quietly, and managed to work their way back to within one, 16-15, but that’s when CSI proceeded to rip off another run, this time with seven straight points, powered by the serve of Adil El Haddad. CSI rode the run to a 25-16 final.
In the final set, CSI again broke out, this time getting out a comfortable 9-3 lead. Three kills by Kukovitskiy and an ace as well expanded CSI’s lead enormously to 20-7 and the Dolphins took the third and final set, 25-13.
Kukovitskiy led the Dolphins with six kills, seven digs, and two blocks. Vigilante and Lei each produced five kills. Harris Silcott led the way for SLC with four kills and five digs.
Things did not go as smooth against NJCU for the second time this season. A short-handed CSI was without some of its key components and so NJCU took advantage. The Knights used a 9-1 run to assume a 12-5 lead in teh first set en route to a 25-14 final, powered by two Christian Ramirez kills. In the second set, CSI lost by almost an identical score, as this time NJCU got off to a 7-3 lead thanks to three Julian Morriera kills. The Gothic Knights would double the run and make it 14-6 later in the set. In the final set, the Dolphins were more competitive, but again they fell victim to a big run that sealed their fate. This time NJCU used a 9-1 run at one point to assume an 11-5 edge as J.J. Berdecia hammered home three kills.
In the second match CSI was led by Lei’s three kills and Kukovitskiy’s eight kills. CSi only had 10 kills as a team while NJCU posted 34, led by Morriera’s 12. Berdecia added seven service aces.
CSI will be back in action on Tuesday, when they travel to face Hunter College in CUNYAC competition at 6pm.
