SPRINGFIELD, Massachusetts - The American International College men's volleyball team defeated Widener University 23-25, 25-19, 25-22, 25-19 on Saturday, February 25.
AIC improves to 2-11 on the season.
The first set was a hitting spree as both teams compiled a high number of kills. Robert Santana started the match with a shot, and the teams battled back-and-forth, with neither side able to score more than three points in a row or build a lead of more than three. Unfortunately for the Yellow Jackets, Cole Nagle's kill finished the first set in the Pride's favor, 25-23.
The Yellow Jackets roared out of the gate in the second set, using three blocks to take an early lead, but the Pride responded in kind to tie the score at 5-5. AIC did not want to get into a back-and-forth and began pulling away, getting ahead by five at 15-10 after a Jacob Thomas kill. The team held the Pride at arms' length from there, scoring five of six at the end with two kills each from Thomas and Alejandro Miranda to take the second set and even the match.
The third was tight early on, but AIC was able to bust it open on a stretch of four straight points that included an ace and a kill by Miranda to go up 17-13. Miranda was ultimately the player to put the final ball to the wood in the set as well, ending Widener's hopes of a comeback as AIC took a 2-1 lead.
In the fourth, the Yellow Jackets closed strong. The team buzzed to a 10-4 lead with a five-point run that included two blocks, and though Widener was able to sneak within a two-point margin, AIC kept them behind thanks to strong play by Miranda and John Rivera Ortiz on the attack. The final point for AIC came on a service error, ending the match in the home side's favor.
Miranda racked up a match-high 18 kills and hit .306, while Ortiz had 15 kills and Santana 10; Ortiz led AIC with eight digs, while Santana and Miranda each contributed seven. Pedro Panelli turned in six blocks up front, and Michael Maldonado dished out 51 assists while securing six digs.
AIC returns to action March 3 against Long Island University at 7:00 p.m.
