NEW YORK – The Yeshiva University men's volleyball team put in a strong effort on Sunday but lost two hard-fought Skyline matches at Max Stern Athletic Center. The first loss was a heartbreaker against Sarah Lawrence College, in five sets, while the second defeat was against Ramapo College by a score of 3-0.

In the opening match against the Gryphons (6-9, 4-2 Skyline), set scores were 15-25, 25-21, 23-25, 25-12, and 15-12. Senior Alon Jakubowitz slammed home a team-high 15 kills for the Maccabees (4-7, 3-5 Skyline). Classmate Amitai Kolom had a near double-double with 10 kills and nine digs, while scoring two service aces. Senior Avi Braun anchored the defense with 16 digs and a block, while registering an assist. Junior Asher Kirshtein had a strong match by leading all players with 34 assists, producing 11 digs, scoring two service aces, and slamming home a pair of kills, all of which are career highs. Senior Steven Zelmanovich produced four kills, recorded 13 digs, scored three service aces, and added an assist.

In the first set, Yeshiva broke it open with a 9-1 run to take a commanding 23-13 hold. The highlights of YU's blitz were a pair of service aces from Kolom, an ace by junior Shmuel Aberman, and a kill each from classmate Eliezer Benjamin and senior Michael Stark. With YU up, 24-15, Jakubowitz slammed home a kill to clinch the stanza and give the Maccabees a 1-0 lead in the match.

After Sarah Lawrence claimed the second game, both teams fought tooth and nail in the third set. Tied at 19 points apiece, Kolom's successful attack highlighted three consecutive YU points to give the home team a 22-19 advantage. After the Gryphons pulled to within one, Kolom tallied another kill to extend the Blue and White's lead to 23-21. The Macs ended up winning the third game, 25-23, to earn a 2-1 advantage in the match. Sarah Lawrence struck back to earn a convincing win in the fourth set to force the fifth and deciding game.

In the fifth stanza, a kill by Kirshtein, and then a service ace courtesy of Benjamin, propelled YU to a 10-7 benefit. However, the Gryphons responded with a 6-1 run to jump out in front, 13-11. Jakubowitz countered with a kill to pull the Macs to within one. However, Sarah Lawrence scored the last two points to clinch the fifth set and the Skyline victory.

For Yeshiva, Aberman had five kills and four digs. Benjamin tallied four kills and three digs. Stark finished with seven digs and two assists. Sophomore Akiva Kamornick had a dig.

For Sarah Lawrence, sophomore Nate Davis led all players with 37 kills, generated a hitting percentage of .323, produced 15 digs, added three assists, and registered a pair of blocks. Junior Lukas Gates tallied a match-high 17 digs.

In the match against Ramapo (10-9, 6-1 Skyline), set scores were 25-11, 25-12, and 25-16. The Roadrunners led from wire-to-wire in each of the first two sets. The Maccabees had a 10-8 lead in the third set, but Ramapo went on an 8-1 run to take control of the match and never looked back.

For the Maccabees, Jakubowitz had seven kills and three digs. Zelmanovich had four kills, a block, and a dig. Kirshtein had 11 assists and three digs, while Kolom cumulated two kills with four digs. Stark tallied three digs and an assist, while Kamornick chipped in on defense with two digs. Aberman had a kill, a block, and a dig, while sophomore Oscar Joseph slammed home a kill.

For Ramapo, sophomore Joshua Caggiano finished with seven kills, three digs, and just as many service aces.

Yeshiva will have a rematch with Sarah Lawrence College on Tuesday evening, this time at the Campbell Sports Center, beginning at 7:00 p.m.