ALBANY, N.Y. –  Russell Sage College was upended 3-1 by visiting American International tonight in the Kahl Campus Center.

Senior middle hitter Mikhail Hailu (Saratoga Springs, NY/Schuylerville) (above) led the Gators with eight kills on .353 hitting. Setter Ryan Jennings (North Brunswick, NJ/North Brunswick Twp.), a graduate student, recorded 19 assists and seven digs, while senior opposite Deshawn Fleary (Newark, NJ/Immaculate Conception Montclair) contributed five kills, 11 digs, and six aces.

Freshman outside hitter John Rivera Ortiz topped American International with 13 kills, while freshman setter Brendan Hickey dished out 31 assists

The Gators started strong, taking the opening stanza 25-19.  RSC held the Yellow Jackets to -.038 hitting and served up five aces in the set victory.  AIC (2-7) answered by taking the next three frames.

Looking ahead, RSC (3-9) hosts Dean College tomorrow at 5:00 pm.

Notes: The Gators went almost 700 days without playing due to the COVID-19 pandemic…RSC is making its debut as an associate member of the New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) this season…League coaches picked the Gators to finish sixth in the NECC…The spring also marks the maiden voyage with Reid Hartl at the helm of the program…He took over as head coach in October 2021…Fleary and Jennings are the only two players that returned from the 2020 RSC team.

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