NEW YORK, N.Y. — The Hunter College men's volleyball team (18-11, 11-2 CUNYAC) came up just short in a thrilling five-set battle with top-seeded Baruch College (15-3, 12-1 CUNYAC) on Friday night in the 2025 CUNYAC Championship match at the Hunter Sportsplex. Despite dropping the first two sets, the Hawks roared back with a fierce response — dominating the third and fourth frames to even the match and shift momentum. Hunter appeared poised to complete the comeback with the score tight late in the fifth, but Baruch capitalized on a late push to escape with the title (20-25, 22-25, 25-19, 25-13, 13-15).

Ahmed Mohamed led the way with 20 kills and eight digs, finishing with a team-high 21.5 points. Kyle Foley delivered another standout performance with 17 kills, two aces, five digs, and a .286 hitting percentage. Annes Deljanin added four kills, four total blocks, and one ace in the final match, continuing his presence at the net.

Wesley Stubbs ran the offense with 34 assists while contributing seven digs, three blocks, and a .750 hitting mark on three kills. Brandon Yeh added three service aces and nine assists, while Lucas George chipped in with two kills, one block, and one service ace off the bench, alongside Wyatt Kotuk, who added a kill and a block assist in two sets of action.

Hunter totaled 53 kills on a .205 hitting percentage, tallying eight aces, 36 digs, and 11 total blocks in the match. Statistically, the Hawks outpaced the Bearcats in several key areas, finishing with more points (67.0 to 58.5), kills (53 to 47), and service aces (8 to 3), while also edging them in assists and digs. While Baruch came out strong, the Hawks' mid-match surge and late-set execution kept the championship up for grabs until the final points of the fifth.

Foley and Deljanin were named to the CUNYAC All-Tournament Team for their performances in the semifinal and championship matches. In Thursday's semifinal sweep of Brooklyn College, Foley posted six kills and a .278 hitting percentage while contributing at the service line and in the back row. Deljanin recorded six kills and a team-high seven total blocks in that match, anchoring Hunter's net defense. Both players followed up their semifinal efforts with key contributions again in the final.

Head coach Quentin Moore, in his first season at the helm, led the Hawks to an 18-11 overall record, an 11-2 mark in conference play, and a runner-up finish in the CUNYAC Championship. "I'm incredibly proud of this team and everything we've accomplished this season. Tonight was a hard-fought battle, and our guys left it all on the court right down to the final point. You can't ask for more than that," said Coach Q. "We'll regroup, take the lessons from this match, and come back even stronger as we prepare for the ECACs."

The Hawks will now await postseason selections as they turn their attention to the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Championships.