ATLANTIC CITY, New Jersey – The American International College volleyball team opened the 2023 season at the JBJ Battle for the Boardwalk in Atlantic City, New Jersey on Saturday, January 7, falling 3-0 to Eastern Nazarene and St. Francis Brooklyn.

The first point of the season came off the hands of Wilmer Rodriguez, who landed a kill. AIC kept the first set close early, but Eastern Nazarene pulled away in the middle of the set to win 25-15. The second set was much more competitive, as it was tied 23-23 after an Alejandro Miranda kill, but Eastern Nazarene took the final two points and the set. AIC jumped to an early 7-4 lead, but two big runs keyed Eastern Nazarene winning the set 25-20 and the match 3-0.

In the second match, St. Francis Brooklyn quickly established a first-set lead of 11-3 and never relinquished it. John Rivera Ortiz notched the first three kills of set two for AIC to keep it close early, but St. Francis Brooklyn went on a nine-point run and won the second set 25-11. In the third set, AIC battled, but St. Francis Brooklyn only conceded consecutive points once and took it 25-17 to win the match.

Ortiz led AIC in both matches, with 14 and nine kills respectively, while Michael Maldonado dished 10 assists in both contests.

AIC will next face Fairleigh Dickinson University on January 13-14 in a home-and-home series; the Yellow Jackets host the first contest, a 6:30 p.m. start on Friday at the Butova Gym.