NEW YORK – The Yeshiva University men's volleyball team closed out the 2023 season with a pair of convincing victories over SUNY Old Westbury, both in straight sets, at Max Stern Athletic Center on Sunday afternoon.

In each of the two YU wins, the Maccabees led from wire-to-wire in the first two sets. Old Westbury (0-15) had brief early leads in the third game of both matches, but Yeshiva went on a run each time to take a commanding hold it would not surrender.

The Maccabees (8-17) scored 54 service aces during the afternoon, 28 in the first contest and 26 in the second.

"It is a match like these where we learn how important serving really is," Yeshiva University Acting Head Coach Batya Schreier said. "The team really came through today and they did it selflessly. It was a beautiful closing to the season!"

In the opening match, set scores were 25-8, 25-16, and 25-10. First-year setter Eli Waxman scored 15 service aces which sets a program single-match record. It was previously held by David Kahana ('10), who scored 11 service aces against Albertus Magnus College, back on February 5, 2009. Waxman also provided 15 assists during the match, along with two kills and a dig.

Senior outside hitter Benjamin Smillie slammed home six kills, tallied three digs, and scored two aces. Classmate Eliezer Benjamin generated five kills, four service aces, and two blocks. Junior middle blocker Jonathan Werta had a career-best five kills along with two aces. Rookie right side hitter Eitan Cillo provided two kills and five aces. First-year outside hitter Ari Mitchell provided two kills of his own, while junior outside hitter Oscar Joseph had an assist. Graduate libero Michael Stark added a dig.

In the second match, set scores were 25-11, 25-7, and 25-15. Rookie middle blocker Lavi Friedman scored nine service aces and added a pair of assists. Benjamin provided four kills, seven aces, three digs, and two assists. Smillie produced nine kills, three aces, and two assists, while Werta generated three kills and four digs. Stark added four digs of his own. Cillo earned four service aces and three digs. Waxman recorded six assists and two digs, while Joseph provided two more digs. Mitchell provided two blocks and an assist.

The Yeshiva University men's volleyball team will return to the court in February of 2023. "We are all excited to see what comes next year," Schreier said.