Rochester, N.Y. – The SUNY Poly men's volleyball team dropped a pair of matches, falling in straight sets to the St. John Fisher Cardinals and the Baldwin Wallace Yellow Jackets in nonconference action. The Wildcats are now 3-5 on the season.
GAME ONE: SUNY POLY VS ST. JOHN FISHER
St. John Fisher set the tone early in the opening set, capitalizing on SUNY Poly errors and strong play at the net to build momentum. The Cardinals used an aggressive offensive approach to gain separation midway through the frame, while SUNY Poly looked to stay within reach behind kills from Andrew Baaki and Quincy Stayton. Joshua Slater distributed the offense effectively, allowing multiple hitters to get involved, but Fisher continued to extend its lead through consistent side-out play and timely finishes. Despite late kills from Stayton and Baaki, the Wildcats were unable to close the gap as St. John Fisher pulled away and secured the opening set, 25–17.
SUNY Poly showed improved rhythm in the second set, jumping out to an early advantage behind strong attacking from Stayton and Baaki. The Wildcats briefly controlled the tempo, using balanced offense and a service ace from Stayton to keep pressure on Fisher. However, the Cardinals responded with a sustained run fueled by aggressive serving and transition offense, evening the score and turning the set into a back-and-forth battle. Both teams traded points deep into the frame, with SUNY Poly receiving key contributions from Jordan Prusky and Aaron Hennessy to stay close. Late in the set, St. John Fisher capitalized on crucial points at the net and closed out the set 25–23 to take a two-set advantage.
Momentum shifted firmly in Fisher's favor in the third set, as the Cardinals opened with a commanding run to build an early cushion. SUNY Poly attempted to respond behind kills from Baaki, Prusky, and Peter Gottler, but Fisher's blocking and defensive pressure limited extended rallies. The Cardinals continued to dictate play through efficient offense and steady serving, gradually widening the gap. SUNY Poly battled through the final points, but St. John Fisher remained composed down the stretch and closed out the set 25–13 to complete the straight-set victory.
GAME TWO: SUNY POLY VS BALDWIN WALLACE
SUNY Poly found early success in the opening set against Baldwin Wallace, building an initial lead behind kills from Quincy Stayton and Andrew Baaki, along with a service ace that helped establish early momentum. The Wildcats looked sharp offensively through the first half of the set, with Slater facilitating a balanced attack. Baldwin Wallace gradually responded, using strong blocking and transition offense to turn the tide. The Yellow Jackets put together a decisive run late in the frame, capitalizing on extended rallies and net play to pull away. Despite SUNY Poly's efforts to regain control, Baldwin Wallace closed out the set 25–20.
The second set featured a tightly contested opening stretch, as the teams exchanged points and momentum swung back and forth. SUNY Poly stayed within striking distance behind kills from Hennessy, Prusky, and Gottler, while Baaki added pressure from the service line with an ace. Baldwin Wallace responded with aggressive serving runs and consistent offense to create separation midway through the set. SUNY Poly attempted to mount a late push, but the Yellow Jackets maintained control in the closing points and captured the set 25–21 to extend their lead.
Baldwin Wallace carried that momentum into the third set, opening with an early run to establish control. SUNY Poly received contributions from Stayton and Baaki, while defensive efforts at the net briefly slowed the Yellow Jackets' attack. However, Baldwin Wallace continued to apply pressure with strong serving and balanced offense, limiting SUNY Poly's ability to string together points. The Yellow Jackets steadily widened the margin and remained composed late, closing out the set 25–18 to complete the sweep.
