HACKENSACK, N.J.- FDU Men's Volleyball (11-9, 5-2 NEC) returned home after six games, besting Daemen (12-11, 5-4 NEC) in four sets.
Jamal Ellis and
Laydon Biro logged 16 kills each, while
Rayjan Suarez Palacios added 7 kills and 7 blocking assists. The Knights won their fifth straight game, as they remain in a tight race to play in the NEC Tournament.
Daemen jumped out to a 6-2 lead to begin the opening set. The nights began to chip away at the deficit, with a double block from
Panagiotis Kourmouzos and Ellis, followed by an Ellis kill to cut into the deficit. The Knights remained down, 10-6.
A four point run which included a solo block from Ellis began to shift momentum in favor of the Knights. Within one, 11-10, kills from Ellis, Suarez Palacios, and Biro kept the Knights in set-tying distance. A Wildcat attacking error evened the set at 15-15.
The teams exchanged points, remaining tied at 18-18. A double block from
Dylan McFadden and Suarez Palacios gave FDU a late lead. The Knights never relinquished the lead in the first set. A double block from Suarez Palacios and
Baboloki Silwane combined with an Ellis kill helped the Knights stay in front 22-19. Two Daemen attacking errors ended the set in favor of the Knights, 25-22.
McFadden and Suarez Palacios helped the Knights jump out 2-0. Daemen answered back, taking a 6-4 lead over the Knights. The Wildcats remained ahead of the Knights before Biro tied the affair at 9-9.
A seven-point-run proved to be instrumental for Daemen, as they took a 16-9 lead which they never relinquished in the second set. Attack errors helped FDU keep the contest close, as Daemen took the second set 25-20.
The third set saw two evenly matched starts, with Daemen leading 2-0 and the Knights quickly responding with a kill from Biro and an ace from McFadden. FDU gained a bit of room after an ace and kill from Ellis put them in front, 9-8. After the Wildcats drew the set to an even 10-10, a Biro Kill and Suarez Palacios ace helped the Knights jump back in front.
Following a Kourmouzos kill to put the Knights ahead 15-13, the visitors answered back to even the set once again at 15 each way. Five of the next six points for FDU came from Wildcat errors, with Suarez palacios adding a kill. The Wildcats were able to tie the score at 21-21 late in spite of the miscues.
After exchanging points, McFadden dealt a kill to put the Knights ahead 24-23. Suarez Palacios and Ellis combined for the final block as FDU won the third set 25-23.
Laydon Biro put the Knights on the board first, after starting the set with a kill. Two blocks from FDU helped them stay ahead 3-0. A lone point for Daemen spurred on consecutive errors to keep the Knights ahead 5-1.
With FDU ahead 7-4 after two more errors, the Wildcats mounted a four-point-burst to take their first lead of the set. Daemen and FDU remained within one point of each other, before three kills gave the Wildcats some breathing room, leading 17-15.
FDU was able to take a 20-18 lead, following a kill from Biro and an ace from
Baboloki Silwane. Daemen fought back to take a 22-21 lead before Kourmouzos evened the score once more. The teams exchanged tying points until the score reached 24 each way. Biro laid down a kill to set up match point, before helping Suarez Palacios on a game winning double block to win 26-24.
The Knights battle Daemen once again tomorrow at 1 p.m. The game will be streamed on NEC Front Row
