Balanced Attack Leads Men's Volleyball Past Medgar Evers in Straight Sets

BROOKLYN, N.Y.—The St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn) used a balanced attack with three Bears registering double-digit kills to bounce back from a home loss on Monday with a straight-set victory, 3-0 (25-23, 25-11, 25-18) over borough rivals Medgar Evers College on Tuesday night at the Cougars Cave.

The Bears (5-3) move back above .500 by two games for the second time this season winners of four of their last five.

Senior Raul Urshela (Orlando, Fla./Colonial) pounded 13 kills with four service aces and three solo blocks. Junior Thomas Kennedy (Breezy Point, N.Y./St. Edmund Prep) hit an extremely efficient .421 slamming a career-high 12 kills with two aces. Junior Taso Kostikas (Brooklyn, N.Y./Midwood) rounded out the attack with 11 kills hitting at a .364 clip. Junior Norrin Martinez (Maspeth, N.Y./Holy Cross) dished out 24 assists directing the offense that hit .317 for the match and served five aces.

The Cougars (0-11) were led by Denzel Williams with 11 kills and six digs.

After a narrow 25-23 opening set win for the Bears, it appeared the teams could repeat a five-set marathon in the earlier meeting in both teams' season openers. But the Bears controlled the second set running away with a 25-11 set win and took a comfortable 25-18 win in the third to seal the match in just over an hour.

St. Joseph's continues a busy three-match week opening Hudson Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play on Thursday, February 26 against Clinton Hill rivals Pratt Institute. First serve is set for 7:30 p.m. with live stats on SJCBears.com.