NEW YORK, NY - Coming out on top for the first time in the 2024 season, the Yeshiva men's volleyball team took down St. Joseph's University Brooklyn, defeating the Bears by a score of 3-2 on Friday, Mar. 15.
 
The Maccabees saw a career day out of Lavi Friedman, with the 6-4 senior slamming down a personal best 20 kills on the afternoon. Serving up many of those balls, Eli Waxman also showed out for YU, tallying 36 assists, just one short of a season record.
 
On the defensive side of the ball, YU had their floor well patrolled by a lethal trio, as Friedman (21), Michael Stark (20) and Jarrett Lazarus (19) all wracked up digs by being willing to risk life and limb for the sake of the team.
 
With the win, the Macs are now 1-19, 1-10 in conference play.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Behind the offensive firepower of Friedman, Andrew Pinchot and Jonathan Werta, the Maccabees lept out to a dominant lead in set number one, up 19-8 over their cross-borough rival. While three straight SJBK points would lift the Bears to a double-digit point total, Yeshiva efficiently put the period away thanks to consecutive kills from Friedman and Eitan Cillo, jumping out to a 1-0 set lead after winning, 25-13.
   
• While Yeshiva's offense continued to dominate in the second set, leading at 14-11 through the first half of the period, SJBK's attack was able to keep up, preventing the Macs from gaining any meaningful separation. The two squads continued to battle, as YU's advantage shrunk to just one at 21-20. However, three straight Maccabee points snuffed out any hopes of a Bear comeback, with a final shattering kill from Werta closing out the set, 25-22.
   
• The Macs stumbled early in set three, falling behind by a score of 11-4. While the team was guided back into contention by three consecutive Werta kills, closing the gap between the two squads to 16-14, Yeshiva were never able to wrest control of the period, ultimately falling, 25-19.
   
• Intent to close out their first "W" in four sets,Yeshiva opened the fourth period with a 9-7 edge through 15 serves. However, the Macs were unable to hold onto that advantage for long, as the Bears stormed forward, capturing the lead at 11-10. The pendulum would not swing again back in YU's favor, with SJBK closing out the period, 25-19, and turning what was a 2-0 YU lead into a 2-2 nailbiter.
   
• The teams went back and forth early on in the fifth and final set, with Yeshiva eking out a tight lead at 5-4 through the first nine serves. Three straight points, including back-to-back kills from Friedman and Werta, proved just the right catalyst to break the deadlock. YU rocketed out to an 8-4 margin, a scoreline that perfectly set up the men in blue and white to take the set, 15-10, and the match, 3-2.

 
MAC LEADERS

• Kills: Friedman (20), Werta (15), Pinchot (6)
• Aces: Cillo (1), Lazarus (1)
• Blocks: Cillo (2), Friedman (2), Werta (1)
• Assists: Waxman (36), Stark (3), Cillo (2)
• Digs: Friedman (21), Stark (20), Lazarus (19)

 
UP NEXT
Hitting the road to close out the week, the Macs will travel out to Sarah Lawrence College on Sunday, Mar. 17 at 12:00 PM.