NEW YORK, N.Y. - Men's Volleyball falls against the Bloodhounds of John Jay before besting the Lions of Penn State Schuylkill. 

The Pride move to 4-3 on the season and remain 0-0 in conference play. 

BY THE NUMBERS: GAME ONE 

• Matthew Christ led the team with 14 kills while also contributing 4 digs and 1 block assist. 

• Michael Martino matched Christ's 14 kills, hitting at a .345 efficiency, while adding 4 digs and 2 assists. 

• Christian Wannamaker recorded 13 kills on a strong .400 hitting percentage and contributed 4 digs, 2 block assists, and 1 service ace. 

• Stephen Marquis was highly efficient, registering 11 kills on just 15 attempts (.600) along with 4 digs and 1 block assist. 

• Josh Matchett dished out a team-high 34 assists while adding 4 digs, 2 service aces, and 3 block assists. 

• Jarrett Edwards was strong defensively, leading the team with 10 digs 

BY THE NUMBERS: GAME TWO 

• Josh Akinwale had a dominant match with a team-high 7 kills on an exceptional .875 hitting percentage, adding 2 service aces and 5 total blocks. 

• Jason Sandberg was a key playmaker with 19 assists, 3 digs, and a match-high 6 service aces. 

• Izaiah Rivera added 4 kills and 2 digs, along with a service ace. 

• Yavan Patel was highly efficient, registering 3 kills on 4 attempts (.750) and tallying 1 block. 

HOW IT HAPPENED AGAINST JOHN JAY 

• Widener came out firing in the opening set, setting the tone early with a strong offensive attack. Matthew Christ and Michael Martino found their rhythm quickly, hammering home kills to push Widener ahead. Josh Matchett, the team's primary setter, spread the ball efficiently, keeping John Jay's defense guessing. Midway through the set, Widener rattled off a 6-2 run, fueled by key swings from Christian Wannamaker and a timely block from Anioma Njokanma, to take a commanding lead. John Jay tried to rally, but a final kill from Christ sealed the 25-20 set win for the Pride. 

• The second set was a battle from start to finish, with neither team able to gain a comfortable lead. Widener jumped ahead 10-6 after a four-point burst, capped by a Sandberg service ace and a Martino kill. John Jay, however, clawed their way back, using a strong service run of their own to even the score at 15-15. From there, it was a back-and-forth affair, with both teams trading points. Stephen Marquis came through in the clutch with a late kill, and Widener had set point at 24-23, but John Jay refused to fold. They strung together a 4-1 run to steal the set, 27-25, stunning the Pride and shifting the momentum. 

• Set three started much like the second, but this time John Jay took control early. They jumped out to a 10-5 lead, forcing Widener into a timeout. Coming out of the break, Wannamaker and Christ provided a spark, combining for four kills during a 6-2 run to pull Widener back within one at 12-11. But every time the Pride seemed poised to take over, John Jay answered. They went on a 5-1 run late in the set, capitalizing on Widener errors to take a 23-19 advantage. Though Widener managed to fight back to 22-23, a miscue on serve gave John Jay set point, and they closed it out 25-22. 

• Needing a win to stay alive, Widener came out aggressive in set four. Marquis and Martino led the charge early, and Widener built a 14-10 lead thanks to a well-placed ace from Matchett. But just when it looked like the Pride would force a decisive fifth set, John Jay surged back. A 7-2 run put them in front 17-16, and from there, Widener was playing catch-up. The Pride had a final push, tying it at 22 with a kill from Marquis, but John Jay locked down defensively, winning the final three points to take the set 25-22 and the match 3-1. 

HOW IT HAPPENED AGAINST PSU-SCHUYLKILL 

• Shaking off the earlier loss, Widener came out with purpose against Penn State Schuylkill and never looked back. From the first serve, the Pride controlled the match, opening the first set with an 8-2 run that saw Josh Akinwale dominate at the net. Jason Sandberg kept the offense running smoothly, tallying assists on multiple kills while also contributing defensively. Izaiah Rivera added a service ace, and before Penn State knew what hit them, Widener was up 15-6. A brief push from the Nittany Lions brought them within single digits, but Widener's depth proved too much as Sandberg closed the set with back-to-back aces, giving the Pride a 25-14 win. 

• The second set started more competitively, as Penn State cleaned up its errors and kept pace early. The score was tied 10-10, but Sandberg took over at the service line once again, sparking a massive 7-1 run. Yavan Patel made his presence felt, registering a block and a kill during the surge, while Akinwale and Michael Martino continued their efficient attacking. Widener maintained a comfortable cushion the rest of the way, closing out the set 25-16. 

• Sensing a sweep, Widener didn't let up in the third set. Kevin Stubbs and Patel provided instant energy off the bench, each recording kills in the early stages as the Pride jumped out to a 12-6 lead. Penn State fought back, trimming the deficit to 17-14, but Josh Akinwale responded with a kill, followed by a huge solo block, bringing the Widener bench to its feet. Stephen Marquis delivered a final exclamation point, smashing a kill off a Sandberg assist to clinch the 25-17 set victory and complete the sweep. 

UP NEXT 

The Pride will return home for a match against the Knights of Neumann. First serve is Tuesday, February 4th at 7:30pm.