ALBANY, N.Y. – Russell Sage College swept visiting Dean College 3-0 this afternoon in the Kahl Campus Center. The Gators had a quartet of players register at least six kills in the non-conference victory.
Junior setter/opposite Elijah Tortorici (Clifton Park, NY/Mohonasen) (above) registered nine kills on .350 hitting, seven digs and two aces. Senior opposite Deshawn Fleary (Newark, NJ/Immaculate Conception Montclair) also had nine kills and elevated six Bulldog attacks.
Senior middle hitter Andrew Samson (Queens, NY/Pathways) and senior middle hitter Mikhail Hailu (Saratoga Springs, NY/Schuylerville) each recorded six kills. Samson hit .714, while Hailu had .600 hitting.
Setter Ryan Jennings (North Brunswick, NJ/North Brunswick Twp.), a graduate student, distributed 29 assists.
After taking the opening set 25-22, the Gators were down 20-15 in the second frame. RSC proceeded to reel off a 7-1 run to take the lead and eventually secure a 26-24 set victory. Hailu tallied three of his kills during the stretch. In the third set, the Gators got out to a 21-8 lead to complete the sweep 25-10.
Freshman outside hitter Rodrigo Monteiro topped Dean (0-8) with seven kills.
Looking ahead, RSC (4-9) plays at Drew on Tuesday at 7:00 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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