BRONXVILLE, N.Y. - After three tight sets, two of which ended in scores of 26-24, the Sarah Lawrence men's volleyball team fell to the Russell Sage Gators three sets to none. The Gryphons took the Gators to 26 points in both the second and third sets in what was their closest match of the young season.

By the Numbers

• Felix Massey led all players with an impressive 14 kills and totaled 17.5 points for the Gryphons
• Nicholas Fajardo played solid defensively and offensively, with three block assists and six assists
• Juan Paris once again led the Gryphons in assists, this time with nine to go along with his game-high five service aces

How it Happened

The Gryphons started out the first set strong, jumping out to a 6-3 lead following a block by Fajardo. The Gators would storm back to take a 7-6 lead and the two teams would remain close thorughout the first set. Even after Russell Sage pulled away with a 16-10 lead, the Gryphons were able to take five consecutive points on the back of a service ace from Paris and two kills by Massey. The two teams would later find themselves tied at 20 point apiece before the Gators scored four of the next five points to jump out to a 24-21 lead and eventually would take the set by a score of 25-22.

The second set was much similar, as the two teams traded leads five times before the Gators took a 17-14 lead. The Gryphons responded with a five-point run that would allow them to regain the lead by a score of 19-17. Before the Gryphons could do any more damage, the Gators went on a run of their own, scoring the next four points to take the lead back just as quickly as it had left. After a service ace by Fajardo and an attack error by Russell Sage, the Gryphons found themselves ahead 22-21 and on the verge of their first set-victory of the season. After a service error by Fajardo, the Gators would capitalize on some Sarah Lawrence errors to take set-point at 24-23. The Gryphons would not go down quietly, as Aiden Roney would score off a pass from Paris to tie the game at 24. The Gators would once again capitalize on two Sarah Lawrence errors to take the set by a score of 26-24 and keep the Gryphons off the scoreboard once again.

The third set seemed like a carbon copy of set two. The two teams traded points back-and-forth throughout the set with the Gryphons maintaining control throughout the majority of the set until the Gators tied the match up at 16 points. Nine straight points would go back-and-forth as the Gryphons found themselves with a 21-20 lead. After a scoring run by Russell Sage, the Gryphons rallied to tie the set at both 23 and 24 points but it would be the Gators who ended the game with a service ace to take the set and the match.

Up Next

The Gryphons (0-3) will return to play on Sunday February 5th as they host the Bard College Raptors for a 12:00 p.m. showdown at the Campbell Sports Center as they look to build off Friday's inspiring performance.