Men's Volleyball Opens Skyline Play with Road Victory at Sarah Lawrence

BRONXVILLE, N.Y. — Thanks to a season-high 11 kills by freshman Ramizjon Khudoyorov (Brooklyn, N.Y./Edward R. Murrow), the St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn) men's volleyball team began Skyline Conference play with a 3-0 (25-14, 25-21, 25-21) sweep of Sarah Lawrence College on Monday night. The straight-set-victory snapped the Bears' six-game losing streak.

How it Happened

The Bears (3-8, 1-0 Skyline) took advantage of Gryphon (2-15, 0-5 Skyline) errors in the opening set to go up 10-6. SJC distanced themselves from the hosts, taking a 20-10 lead thanks to a pair of kills by senior outside hitter Stephen Eddy (Glendale, N.Y./Christ the King) as part of a 10-2 run. Blocks by Khudoyorov, Dejon St. Rose-Cuffy (Brooklyn, N.Y./Bishop Loughlin) and Kristopher Parbs-Slawson (Brooklyn, N.Y./St. Edmund Prep) further pushed the Bears to a 25-14 set win going into the second.

Eddy and Parbs-Slawson combined for three kills to begin the second set with the 7-1 edge. Sarah Lawrence picked up six of the next seven points to come within one, 8-7. The Gryphons kept things close throughout the set, ultimately taking their first lead of the game and going up by two, 16-14. Khudoyorov's six kills in the frame propelled the Bears to the lead and the set win.

Neither side led by more than two points as they traded the advantage early on in the third set. After the hosts leveled the score at nine apiece, St. Rose-Cuffy and Khudoyorov each racked up a trio of kills while Parbs-Slawson and Arian Durovic (Woodside, N.Y./St. John's Prep) saw their first contributions in the set to give the Bears a seven-point lead, 21-14. The Gryphons came up with seven points, trimming the SJC lead to 23-21. The Bears halted the Sarah Lawrence comeback; picking up the final two points to complete the straight-set victory.

For the Bears

• Khudoyorov picked up his first career double-double on a season-high 11 kills and 10 digs while hitting .450. The rookie also served a pair of aces.
• Eddy notched eight kills, three digs, and two aces.
• St. Rose-Cuffy hit .375 while coming away with seven kills and four blocks (three solo).
• Parbs-Slawson had five kills, in a .333 hitting night, on three digs and as many blocks (all assisted).
• Juan Herran Ocampo (Armenia, Colombia/Manhattan Comprehensive Night and Day) dished out a season-high 31 assists
• Rogers Hatanga Kwiringira (Corona, N.Y./Greater New York Academy) totaled a game-high 11 digs.

Up Next

The Bears play their first conference tri-match of the season, linking up with Ramapo at 1 p.m. and Mount Saint Vincent at 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 7. Live stats and video of both games can be found at SJCBears.com/live