Albany, NY--- The Sage Colleges' men's volleyball team hosted the Gothic Knights of New Jersey City University in the Kahl Center on Monday night in a Skyline Conference match. The match went five sets and saw Sage triumph, 3-2 (17-25, 25-23, 23-25, 27-25, 15-9). The Gators are now 12-4 overall and 7-2 in the league, while NJCU drop to 8-9 overall and 5-4 in the conference. Sage is riding a seven-match win streak, an active program record.
The match featured the league's reining co-player of the week in Sage's junior middle hitter Spencer Hilland (Slingerlands, NY/Bethlehem Central) and the league's rookie of the week in NJCU's Besmir Arslani (Wayne, NJ/Wayne Valley).
In the first set, the action was last tied at 11-11, before NJCU took an 18-13 lead en route to the 25-17 win. In the second set, the action was knotted at 12-12. NJCU held a 15-14 lead before Sage fought back and took a 17-15 lead. NJCU rallied back and held a 19-18 lead, before the Gators rebounded for a 20-19 lead. Knotted once again at 20-20, Sage took a 22-20 lead. The Gators held a 24-22 edge before the Gothic Knights took a timeout. The Gators took set two 25-23 with a key block at the net.
The Gothic Knights jumped out to a 7-2 lead in the third set before owning a 13-8 lead. The Gators did not go away and tied the action at 21-21. NJCU scored the next two points holding a 23-21 lead before a long serve gave the ball back to Sage. NJCU held on for a 25-23 win in the third set.
Sage started the fourth set strong and held a 13-8 lead followed by a 19-14 lead. NJCU reeled off four straight points to cut Sage's lead to one, 19-18 forcing a Sage timeout. The action became tied once again at 21-21. Sage held a 24-22 lead in the set before NJCU pulled tied the action again at 24-24. The Gothic Knights and Sage exchanged points before the action was tied once again at 25-25. The Gators held on for a 27-25 win in the set.
Sage held a 4-0 lead and increased the lead to 8-2.The Gators jumped out to a 10-4 lead. The Gothic Knights held tough and pulled within four points, down 10-6 before they served into the net giving Sage an 11-6 lead. Sage held a 14-8 lead and tallied a 15-9 win to capture the match.
For the Gators, sophomore Dylan Krowicki (Little Falls, NY/Little Falls) tallied a double-double on 20 kills with 15 digs and four block assists. Hilland finished with 10 kills and nine digs. Junior setter Kyle Ray (Horseheads, NY/Horseheads) handed out 38 setting assists with 12 digs and an ace in the match. Sophomore Scott Fitzgerald (Hudson Falls, NY/Queensbury) added 10 digs with nine kills to pace the Gators.
NJCU's Arslani finished the night with 20 kills and six digs, while junior Justin Beaumont (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne) added 16 kills with 12 digs. Rookie Angel Martinez (Pleasantville, NJ/Pleasantville) added 14 digs with three aces.
Sage will be back in action travelling to Kean University on March 4, where they will face Ramapo College and Purchase College in a pair of Skyline Conference contests. New Jersey City University will also be in action next on March 4 at the College of Mt. St. Vincent for a quad match where they will face both NYU-Poly and Mt. St. Vincent.
