Glenside, Pa.- The Hunter College men's volleyball team battled through a challenging doubleheader at the Arcadia Trimatch on Saturday, facing off against host Arcadia University and nationally ranked Vassar College. Despite strong individual performances and moments of momentum, the Hawks dropped both matches in straight sets.
Match 1: Arcadia 3, Hunter 0 (25-17, 25-16, 27-25)
Hunter (1-4) opened the day against Arcadia, struggling to find its offensive rhythm in the early going. Annes Deljanin provided a bright spot, leading the team with five kills on an impressive .714 hitting percentage, but the Hawks hit just -.100 as a team in the opening set.
The second frame saw more offensive struggles for Hunter, though Felipe Delgado added five kills, and Brandon Yeh and Crisostomo Ibarra combined for five digs to help steady the defense. Arcadia continued to control the tempo, taking the set 25-16.
Hunter's best effort came in the third set, where the Hawks showed resilience in a back-and-forth battle that featured nine tie scores and five lead changes. Demetri Gournelos and Ahmed Mohamed sparked the offense with timely kills, while setter Wesley Stubbs facilitated the attack with six assists. Despite their push, the Hawks narrowly fell 27-25 as Arcadia completed the sweep.
Match 2: No. 7 Vassar 3, Hunter 0 (25-18, 25-19, 25-19)
In their second match of the day, the Hawks faced a formidable Vassar squad that entered the contest undefeated. Hunter kept pace early in the first set, with Gournelos once again leading the offense with 10 kills. However, Vassar's efficient attack proved difficult to contain as the Brewers pulled away for a 25-18 win.
The second set was the most competitive, featuring six tie scores and two lead changes. Delgado chipped in six kills, while Stubbs recorded 11 assists to keep Hunter's attack moving. The Hawks briefly held a lead midway through the frame, but Vassar capitalized on service errors to take control late and secure a 25-19 victory.
In the third and final set, Hunter improved its offensive efficiency, hitting .136 behind key contributions from Mohamed and Kyle Foley. Despite the Hawks' fight, Vassar's well-rounded play helped them close out the match 25-19, completing the sweep.
Hunter returns to the court on Feb. 4 as they travel to Hoboken, N.J. for a road match against Stevens at 6:00 p.m.
