RIVERDALE, NY - The CMSV Men's Volleyball team returned to action on Thursday night, hosting non-conference foe Baruch College in the teams 2017 home opener. The Dolphins swept the Bearcats in three sets, by the scores of, 25-22, 25-18, 32-30, evening their record at 2-2.
Tyler Cucullu led all players with 19 kills and 13 digs, while also hitting a game high .643%, the senior had only one attack error in 28 attack attempts.
Neven Skoblar added 13 kills while hitting .250%. Setter
Logan Dickover dished out 46 assists, while adding one of the two Dolphin service aces.
The Dolphins took control of the first set with a four point run that turned a 6-6 tie to a 10-6 lead, after a kill by
Scott Sawyer. CMSV maintained their lead and solidified their grasp on the set during a run in which the home side won six of eight points to lead 20-15, after a Dickover kill. Cucullu would smash a kill to put the Dolphins at set point, then a play later,
Jordan Steiger would end the set with one of his seven kills.
In the second set, CMSV gained control midway through with a five point run, turning an 8-7 deficit into a 12-8 lead, after back-to-back kills by Skoblar and Cucullu. The momentum really shifted for the Mount's favor during a back-to-back sequence that was punctuated by a kill by Cucullu and a solo block by Steiger to make the score 16-12.
The final set was epic, with the teams staying within three points of each other for the majority of the set. The Dolphins didn't hold their first lead until a Sawyer kill put them ahead 18-17. That lead was short lived as three of the next four points went to Baruch. Trailing 20-19, the Dolphins won four of the next five points to take a 23-21 and eventually would have their first match point at 24-22. Baruch would win the next three points with their backs against the wall to take a 25-24 lead. CMSV took their second match point at 27-26 but once again the Bearcats fought back and took the lead at 30-29. The final three points would go in favor of the home side as CMSV would hold on for a 32-30 match clinching victory.