Box Score

                  POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (January 24, 2014) – Senior captain Joe Pyne (Los Angeles, CA/Oakwood Secondary) finished with a game-best 17 kills Friday evening, but it wasn't quite enough as the Vassar College men's volleyball team opened its season with a 3-1 loss to No. 5 Baruch College in action from Kenyon Hall.

                  The opening set was back-and-forth over the first 20 points, but the visiting Bearcats (1-0) used an 8-2 run to take control of the first set. VC would pull to within four on four different occasions, but Baruch posted the last three points of the game to earn a 25-18 set victory.

                  The second set was a battle to the end, with the scrappy Vassar squad putting together a 12-5 spurt to take a commanding lead midway through the set. Baruch showed its firepower by clawing back into the match, knotting the score at 24 on game point. Showing some resolve, Vassar got a service ace from Pyne to earn the set with a score of 26-24.

                  The visiting Bearcat's defense would be key in the third set, holding the Brewers to a hitting percentage of .000, pulling away for the 25-14 win, taking a 2-1 lead into the fourth set. In game four, Vassar (0-1) really got a great game out of its offense, posting 18 kills on 37 swings in the set.

                  Vassar led the deciding set 19-16 after a kill from Pyne, but BC put together four straight points to take a 20-19 edge. After another kill by Pyne deadlocked the game at 20, Baruch posted back-to-back points to make the score 22-20. The never-say-die Brewers would win three of the next four points, two coming on kills from Colin Fearn-Johnson (Honolulu, HI/Punahou), to again put the score even at 23.

                  Following a timeout by the Bearcats, visiting Baruch would notch the final two needed points of the game to earn its road victory. Pyne finished with his final kill total on 37 attacks, adding five digs and three service aces. Sophomore captain Reno Kriz (Breinigsville, PA/Parkland) had 14 kills and five digs, and Fearn-Johnson added nine kills and two assisted blocks.

                  Junior setter Colin White-Dzuro (Toronto, Ontario, Canada/Royal St. George) finished with 41 assists on the night, chalking up five digs as well. Freshman libero Trey Cimorelli (Orchard Park, NY/Orchard Park) performed well in his first collegiate appearance, finishing with a game-best 10 digs. Sophomore Erik Halberg (Newark, DE/Salesianum School) led all brewers with three total blocks. VC hit .198 on the evening, posting 48 kills and 25 errors on 116 attacks.

                  The visiting Bearcats got a team-best 13 kills from Chris Kaimis, while Brady Ambro and Jack McKee had 12 and 10 kills, respectively. Baruch hit a very solid .378 on the night, needing just 98 attempts to finish with 51 kills and just 14 kills. BC got 41 assists from Brian Coniglio, while Ambro and Brendan Murphy each had eight digs to pace Baruch.

                  Vassar College will take on Hudson Valley rival New Paltz Wednesday evening at 7 p.m. in Kenyon Hall in the first United Volleyball Conference (UVC) match of the season for both squads.