New York, N.Y.- The Hunter College men's volleyball team fell to Baruch in a thrilling five-set battle at the Hunter Sportsplex on Tuesday evening. The game was a crucial clash between two top teams in the CUNYAC conference, with both teams coming in undefeated in conference play. The win moved the Bearcats to 6-0 in CUNYAC play (6-0 overall), while the Hawks picked up their first conference loss to drop to 5-1 in conference and 7-8 overall.

Baruch took an early lead by claiming the first set 25-19, showcasing their precise attacks and solid defense. The Hawks, however, mounted a comeback in the second set, led by their statistical leaders who rallied to win 25-22, leveling the score.

Despite Hunter's efforts, Baruch regained control in the third set, capitalizing on errors to secure a narrow 25-23 victory. Yet, the Hawks refused to back down, demonstrating exceptional teamwork and resilience in the fourth set, clinching a hard-fought 27-25 win to force a decisive fifth set.

The final set saw both teams trading blows in an intense battle. However, it was Baruch who ultimately emerged triumphant, narrowly defeating the Hawks 15-10 to claim the match.

Muhammad Al-Amine Mbaye stood out, leading the offense with 16 kills in addition to seven digs, four blocks, and a pair of assists. Kyle Foley followed with 13 kills, while Annes Deljanin added 10 in addition to three blocks and an ace. Matisse Lee-Maarek and Nick Yao led the defensive charge for the Hawks as Lee-Maarek tallied seven blocks and Yao had a team-high 10 digs. Cooper Moran, the team's main facilitator with 48 assists also added five digs.

The Hawks return to the court against Medgar Evers on Thursday at 6:00 p.m.