ALBANY, New York The American International College men's volleyball team overcame a slow start to defeat Russell Sage College 3-1 on Friday, February 18.
FAST FACTS:
Final Score: AIC 3, Russell Sage 1
Set Scores: 19-25, 25-16, 25-8, 25-23
Records: The Yellow Jackets rise to 2-7, while the Gators fall to 3-9
Location: Robinson Gymnasium, Albany, New York
KEY STATS:
Russell Sage:
Mikhail Hailu: Eight kills
Deshawn Fleary: Five kills, 11 digs
Ryan Jennings: 19 assists, seven digs
AIC:
John Rivera Ortiz: 13 kills, eight digs
Ben Warren: Nine kills, eight digs
Wilmer Rodriguez: Nine kills, five digs, two blocks
Brendan Hickey: 31 assists, eight digs, two blocks
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- The Gators had revenge on their minds after their previous defeat at AIC's hands, and took advantage of early errors to build a 21-14 lead. The Yellow Jackets scored four of the next five points to get close, but ultimately the hosts took the first set on a kill by Mikhail Hailu.
- Brendan Hickey set an emphatic kill by John Rivera Ortiz to open the second set and the strike energized the Yellow Jackets, who roared to a 22-13 lead. A short rally by the Gators was snuffed out by a service error, and Wilmer Rodriguez followed with an ace to give AIC set point. The 25th score of the set came on a block, as Alex Marinaro got his hands on a swing by Joseph Vice at the left pin and landed it inside the baseline to tie the match 1-1.
- AIC kicked off the third set with five straight points, including a pair of aces by Ben Warren, setting the tone early again. Up 16-7, AIC went on an eight-point run punctuated by another Warren ace, and took the set 25-8.
- AIC led the fourth set 6-2 after an ace by Rivera Ortiz, but the Gators pushed back, ultimately using an eight-point run of their own to go up 20-15. AIC responded to the challenge, scoring seven of the next nine to tie the set up in a stretch that included kills by Rodriguez, Warren, and Rivera Ortiz. Marinaro put AIC back ahead, 23-22, with an ace, and though the Gators tied it back up on an error, the Yellow Jackets saw the finish line and crossed it, with kills by Pedro Panelli and Rivera Ortiz finishing the set 25-23 and the match 3-1.
CAN'T SPELL BRENDAN WITHOUT THE A:
- Hickey's 31 helpers were the most by a Yellow Jacket men's volleyball player this season.
- The previous high was by Michele Bascape, who had 20 the first time AIC faced Russell Sage.
- His sixthassist of the match was his 100th of the season; he now has 125.
NEXT UP:
- The men return home to the Butova Gymnasium to face Long Island University on Friday, February 25 at 3:00 p.m.
