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#6 NYU Wins Five-Set Thriller
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The sixth-ranked New York University men's volleyball team
remained perfect in United Volleyball Conference (UVC) play –
and avenged one of its two losses on the season – in
thrilling fashion, defeating #10 Vassar College in five sets on
Wednesday, February 22, at the Coles Sports Center in
Manhattan.
The Violets (10-2, 6-0) rallied from a 2-1 deficit to beat the
Brewers (4-5, 2-4), dominating both the fourth and fifth sets.
Aided by stellar serving and strong play at the net, NYU took the
fourth set 25-14 and the fifth 15-5.
Vassar earned a 25-19 victory in the first set and 25-21 in the
third, while the Violets took the second set 25-19. The
come-from-behind win came nearly a month after the Brewers swept
NYU on their home court.
“The guys dug deep and were able to overcome a team that
seems to match up well against us,” said head coach Jose
Pina. “In games two, four and five, we were able to
jump on them and overpower them. We're working on playing like that
on a more consistent basis.”
Down two sets to one, the Violets controlled the beginning of the
fourth set. The squad jumped out to an 8-2 lead, with four of those
points coming on kills by Pat
Dodd. Dodd continued to dominate the set, recording seven
of his match-best 19 kills in the game, as NYU cruised.
After taking a 4-2 lead in the fifth and final set, the Violets
took over, winning 10 of the next 12 points. Dodd's aggressive
serving was key, as the team won sixth straight points with him
behind the line. NYU's blocking was also tremendous, with Taylor
Fauntleroy and Nick
Capriccio each recording solo blocks and Capriccio
teaming up with Connor
Mortland for another block.
Fauntleroy sealed the match with a kill, completing the rally and
keeping the Violets as the lone unbeaten team in UVC play.
“Normally, teams don't serve as aggressively in game
five,” commented Pina on the dominant fifth set. “We
were really going for it and were way more aggressive than them.
Any time you have eight aces and 17 service errors in a match,
you're going to take that.
“If we can add that consistency to our play once the ball is
served, we're going to be very tough to beat,” he noted.
Dodd added six digs and two service aces to his 19 kills.
Fauntleroy finished with 16 kills, nine digs and three blocks,
while Matthew
MacDonald totaled 11 kills, six digs and five blocks.
Mortland doled out 48 assists and had 10 digs, while Jay
Hayes recorded a match-high 15 digs.
Charlie Caldwell led Vassar with 13 kills. Matt Elgin tallied 10
kills and six blocks, while Christian La Du notched 14 digs. John
Konow recorded 38 assists and nine digs from the setter
position.
NYU returns to action on Wednesday, Feb. 29, for a road UVC match
at SUNY New Paltz. First serve is at 7:00 pm.
