BRONXVILLE, N.Y. – The Yeshiva University men's volleyball team rallied from two sets down to earn a thrilling five-set Skyline victory over Sarah Lawrence College, at Campbell Sports Center, on Thursday evening. Set scores were 26-28, 20-25, 25-19, 25-19, and 15-10.

"When the team comes together as a unit, the way they play and communicate with one another definitely shines," Yeshiva University Acting Head Coach Batya Schreier said. "It's really an amazing thing to see and I'm honored to be part of it."

Graduate libero Avi Braun once again made history for Yeshiva by setting the program's all-time single-match record with 33 digs. He held the previous record of 30 digs during YU's match at Purchase College, back on March 9, 2023. The South Side of Chicago native also slammed home a kill.

Senior outside hitter Amitai Kolom had a productive match for the Maccabees by recording a double-double with 14 kills and 10 digs, while scoring a pair of service aces and adding a block. Classmate Benjamin Smillie tallied nine kills and 15 digs. Senior outside hitter Shmuel Aberman anchored the defense with 16 digs, while providing three kills on the attack. Rookie middle blocker Lavi Friedman scored 11 kills, had a hitting percentage of .320, and recorded six digs. Freshman setter Eli Waxman had a double-double with 38 assists and 11 digs. Senior middle blocker Eliezer Benjamin generated four kills, five blocks, four aces, and two digs. Sophomore setter Zanvy Lesnoy added a dig of his own.

In the opening set, a kill by Benjamin gave the Maccabees a set-point opportunity at 24-20. However, the Gryphons (0-13, 0-8 Skyline) rallied with four straight points to tie it up. YU scored the next point but then Sarah Lawrence evened it up again. Then, Yeshiva found itself in a 26-25 hole but a kill by Smillie knotted it up. However, the Gryphons produced the next two points to clinch the first set, 28-26.

Yeshiva had a 14-12 lead in the second set, but Sarah Lawrence went on a 4-1 run to jump out in front. After YU tied it up, the Gryphons scored six of the next seven points to take a 22-17 benefit. Yeshiva could not answer back as Sarah Lawrence won the second game, 25-20, to put the Macs on the brink of defeat.

Things looked bleak for the Maccabees as they fell behind, 6-0, in the third set. However, Yeshiva would not go down without a fight as a series of errors by the opposition helped YU to a 7-2 run to pull them to within one, at 8-7. Later in the stanza, a kill by Smillie sparked three straight points for the Maccabees to put them in front, 12-11. After Sarah Lawrence went back to the advantage at 14-13, Yeshiva went on a 4-0 blitz, highlighted by a pair of kills from Kolom and a service ace by Eliezer, to take a three-point benefit. The Gryphons countered with a 4-1 run to tie it up at 18 points apiece. From that point on, the Maccabees took complete control by finishing the third set on an 8-1 run, highlighted by a kill each from Smillie and Friedman, as well as an ace from Kolom, to win the third set by a score of 25-19 and remain alive in the match.

Yeshiva's momentum from the end of the third stanza carried over into the fourth, as Yeshiva never trailed during the frame. With YU up, 10-8, they went on a 6-2 run to pad its lead to 16-10. The Gryphons could not generate a consistent run to get back into it, as Yeshiva ended up with a set-point opportunity thanks to a kill by Smillie that put YU up, 24-18. Sarah Lawrence scored the next point, but then Smillie smashed another kill to tie the match at two sets apiece and force a fifth and deciding game.

In the fifth set, the Maccabees went ahead by a score of 8-6. However, Sarah Lawrence got back on track thanks to back-to-back kills by senior middle blocker Felix Massey to tie the game, 8-8. Fortunately for Yeshiva, Friedman sparked them to five unanswered points with a kill and two service aces to give his team a 13-8 lead. After Sarah Lawrence scored the next point, Smillie countered with a kill to allow the Macs to have a match-point opportunity. The Gryphons scored to make it 14-10, but then Yeshiva was awarded the match-clinching point to secure the come-from-behind five-set thrilling Skyline victory.

For Sarah Lawrence, Massey slammed home a match-high 25 kills, tallied nine digs, and scored five service aces. Senior setter Juan Paris produced seven kills, 22 digs, and 15 assists. Junior defensive specialist Lukas Gates anchored the defense with 23 digs. Senior setter Lance De Leoz had a double-double with 24 assists and 16 digs.

Yeshiva will compete in a conference tri-match, at Ramapo College, on Sunday. The Maccabees will battle the host-Roadrunners at 10:00 a.m., and then take on the Panthers of Purchase College at noon.