Edison, New Jersey – The BMCC men's volleyball team gave Middlesex County College a hard time during a straight set (20-25,18-25,23-25) loss on Wednesday night. The Panthers fell to 2-6 with the loss, while the Colts improved to 9-8 with the victory.
Freshman Chong Lin Li (New York, New York) spearheaded the Panther's offensive attack with his fourth double-digit kill game with 12 kills and hit a season-high .667 on the evening. Classmate Isah Mohammed (Lagos, Nigeria) registered three career-highs in the contest, smashing nine kills and hitting .800 while putting up six solo blocks and seven total on defense. Fellow underclassman Hugo Paz (Mexico City, Mexico) dished out a team-high 20 assists and his fifth match of 20 or more assists.
Freshman Eugene Villarruz (Queens, New York) handled a team-high nine digs, while Emmanuel Lovingood (Queens, New York) had a career-high four solo blocks and six total.
The Panthers scored four straight points in the first set after trailing 2-0, with an Edwin Martinez (Bronx, New York) service ace making it 4-2. After Middlesex County College tied it at four, then led 5-4 before BMCC scored the following three points capped off by back-to-back Lovingood service aces, making it 7-5. The Panthers had a 15-14 lead midway through the set, and then the Colts scored five of the following nine points to lead 20-18. BMCC would get within one, 21-20, with two of the following three points capped off by a Villarruz kill. Middlesex was able to pull away with the last four points to take the opening set 25-20.
The Colts would dominate the second set 25-18, but the Panthers would make them earn it in the third one. BMCC scored two of the set's first three points with a Lovingood solo block, making it 2-1. After both teams were tied, the Panthers scored back-to-back points with a Mohammed kill, making it 7-5. Middlesex got the BMCC lead down to one, 8-7, and then BMCC scored four straight points to make it 12-7 with a Mohammed service ace and Martinez solo block. The Colts went on a 6-1 run to knot it up at 13.
Middlesex County College got the lead to two, 20-18, and then BMCC responded with the following two points to tie it at 20 on a Martinez kill and an error from the Colts. The Colts scored four of the following six points to grab a 24-22 advantage, but the Panthers would not go away, getting a service error to get within one 24-23, but Lin Li's attack error would end the set 25-23 as the Colts would take the match three games to none.
The Panthers head to New Rochelle for a Region XV Double Dual on Saturday, March 23, against Monroe-Bronx and Monroe College at noon and 2 p.m. at Monroe Athletic Complex. For more information, visit the BMCC Men's Volleyball Schedule Page.
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