MVB: Wildcats Fall in Both Matches at MIT Tri-Match
Cambridge, M.A. – The SUNY Poly men's volleyball team suffered back-to-back losses to the Elmira Soaring Eagles and the MIT Engineers at the MIT Tri-Match. Despite strong performances from Peter Gottler and Corey Hollingsworth on offense and solid defensive efforts from Andrew Baaki and Zach Latino, the Wildcats were unable to secure a win. SUNY Poly now stands at 11-9 on the season.
Game One vs. Elmira
The first set began with a service error from SUNY Poly, allowing Elmira an early advantage. However, the Soaring Eagles soon committed errors of their own, giving the Wildcats an opportunity to even the score. Corey Hollingsworth made an immediate impact with a service ace, while both teams traded points with strong attacks and key kills from SUNY Poly's Gottler and Kaiden Ranger. Thomas McNulty and Andrew Baaki's defensive plays helped the Wildcats keep pace, ultimately winning the set 25-22.
The second set was a back-and-forth battle. SUNY Poly gained an early 2-0 lead, thanks to a bad set by Elmira's Max Stuver and a kill from Peter Gottler. However, Elmira responded with strong kills from Joe Seliger, and the Wildcats struggled with a series of attack errors that put them in a 12-5 deficit. Elmira capitalized on SUNY Poly's mistakes, dominating the set and winning 25-11.
In the third set, both teams struggled with service errors, but Elmira gradually pulled away. As the set progressed, attack errors on both sides kept things chaotic, though Elmira's Bertino and Ringstad each made key mistakes. SUNY Poly's McNulty continued to play a pivotal role, delivering well-timed assists to Hollingsworth and Ranger. As Elmira faltered with more attack errors, SUNY Poly stayed composed to win the set 25-21.
The fourth set began with early mistakes on both sides, resulting in a chaotic start. SUNY Poly capitalized on Elmira's service errors, with McNulty earning a service ace and setting up kills from Hollingsworth and Zach Latino. Despite Elmira's offensive push, SUNY Poly maintained control thanks to McNulty's precise setting and a key kill by Peter Gottler. However, Elmira made a strong push to close the gap, eventually winning the set 28-26 after a series of crucial plays.
The fifth and final set saw Elmira build an early lead, but SUNY Poly responded with a service ace from Hollingsworth and a kill from Baaki. Hollingsworth and Gottler each contributed with key kills, giving the Wildcats a 6-5 lead. Despite continued errors from both teams, Elmira pulled ahead and sealed the win with a string of crucial kills, claiming a 15-13 victory in the set and a 3-2 win in the match.
Game Two VS MIT
Both teams exchanged points throughout the first set, with SUNY Poly's Thomas McNulty playing a key role by delivering several crucial assists. Strong performances from Corey Hollingsworth and Peter Gottler helped the Wildcats stay competitive against the Engineers. However, as the set progressed, MIT began to assert control, using a series of kills to pull ahead to a 23-19 lead. Despite efforts from SUNY Poly's Hollingsworth and Gottler, MIT sealed the set 25-19.
The second set opened with a tight back-and-forth, highlighted by a kill from SUNY Poly's Corey Hollingsworth, followed by a response from MIT's Maddox Brandenburg, tying the score at 4-4. Peter Gottler added a service ace, and key kills from Andrew Baaki and Hollingsworth kept the score tied at 8-8. The teams remained even until 17-17, when MIT went on a run to secure a 25-21 victory.
In the third set, SUNY Poly's Kaiden Ranger and Adam Brawn helped the Wildcats keep pace with MIT early on. However, the Engineers soon found their rhythm, quickly extending their lead to 18-9. Despite strong plays from Gianni Martino and Hollingsworth late in the set, it was too late for a comeback. MIT closed out the set 25-17 to win the match 3-0.
