When and where:

January 13, 2024- Hoboken, NJ

Results:

The St. Joseph's University, New York (L.I.) men's volleyball team split a pair of non-conference matches to open up the 2024 season on Saturday afternoon. The Golden Eagles fell to #1 Stevens Institute of Technology, 3-1, before coming back to sweep Kean University, 3-0.

Records:

St. Joseph's (L.I.), 0-1, Stevens, 2-0

Top Performers:

• Senior Mark Williams led all players with 19 kills while picking up a team-best 12 digs

• Senior Tyler Anderson finished with 15 kills and 11 digs

• Sophomore Luke MacPherson rounded out the top three with 11 kills and 10 digs

• Senior setter CJ Johnson tossed a match-best 49 assists while adding seven digs and three kills

• The Ducks were led by a 15-kill performance by Jack Hershman

• Carver Weirick pitched in with 11 kills and nine digs

How it happened:

• The Ducks jumped out to an early 7-1 lead in the first set, but the Golden Eagles managed to get back within one following a kill from Anderson at 9-8

• The teams stayed close and SJLI had four set-point opportunities before the Ducks, but Stevens managed to spoil each one before their first turn at 28-27

• The sides continued to exchange points before the hosts managed the 30-28 win

• The Golden Eagles led by as many as four, 19-15, in set two, but the hosts stayed close, and a kill from Hershman knotted the score at 23 before coming away with the 27-25 win

• The two teams went point-for-point to start the third frame with neither side able to break away until two SIT errors followed by a kill from Williams put SJLI ahead 22-19

• Later on, three set-point opportunities for the Golden Eagles were squandered before a kill from Anderson closed the set, 25-22, in favor of the visitors

• The Ducks broke a 6-6 tie in the fourth frame with four unanswered points and kept the Golden Eagles at a distance down the stretch to claim a 25-20 win and secure the 3-1 match victory

Records:

St. Joseph's (L.I.), 2-0, Kean 0-1

Top Performers:

• Williams led the Golden Eagles for the second match of the day with nine kills 

• Anderson and freshman Umberto Piscitelli pitched in with six kills apiece

• Johnson dished a match-high 31 assists and picked up a team-best six digs

• Chris Mitchell led the Cougars with 19 kills

• Setters David Flores and Luke Frankenfield recorded 14 and 13 assists, respectively

• Libero Tyler Quinn picked up a match-high 12 digs

How it happened:

• The Golden Eagles held a slight 9-7 lead in the opening set before a 4-0 run provided some distance that the Cougars would not overcome and SJLI took the set 25-17 

• Set two saw the two teams tied at 19 before a couple of Kean errors followed by a kill from Quinn Foglia provided some breathing room at 22-19

• Foglia's solo block would finish the set at 25-21 giving the Golden Eagles the 2-0 match lead

• Another close set again had the two sides knotted up at 19 and again a couple of costly Kean errors gave the Golden Eagles some distance before a kill from Piscitelli secured the third set, 25-21 

Up next:

The Golden Eagles will host #7 Springfield College in Danzi Center for their 2024 home opener on Saturday, January 20 at 4:00 pm.