MIAMI SHORES, FL – The Manhattan Jaspers’ Men’s Volleyball program (5-11, 3-1 NEC) fell to the Buccaneers of Barry University (14-4) in four sets (25-22, 17-25, 23-25, 22-25) inside the Health and Sports Center on Saturday evening.

HOW IT HAPPENED


Looking to conclude the final non-conference trip of its inaugural campaign on a high note were the Jaspers, who were coming off a weekend sweep of FDU just seven days ago.
With the match tied at six in the first set, the Buccaneers ran off five of the next six before the Jaspers went on the offensive and found Wojtek Nowak to spark the comeback.
The Jaspers trailed by as much as five down the stretch at 17-12, before Kasen Owens jump-started the offense with three consecutive points where Owens was involved to bring the deficit back within two.
Two points later, trailing 18-16, the Jaspers rang off five straight points to take the lead by two, with Kai Patchell and Sam Morreale showing their strength up front.
The Green and White continued to put pressure on the Buccaneers down the stretch and trade points, before posting three straight to take the first set, highlighted by a Kasen Owens block for point No. 25.
After taking the first set, the Jaspers surrendered the first six of seven before capitalizing on back-to-back Barry miscues.
Then, the Jaspers and Buccaneers traded points before the Green and White brought its deficit to as little as one with Jovan Marjanovic’s booming termination.
The Jaspers did it again: five points later, trailing by as much as two, they brought it to one courtesy of the blockers Nowak and Larcheid.
In the third set split at one a piece, the Jaspers got off to a raucous start by obtaining 10 of the first 15 points.
With the lead at 17-11, the Jaspers lost all momentum down the stretch and surrendered eight of the next 13.
With the game tied at 22 late in the third set, the Jaspers found itself on the outside looking in with the opposing middle blockers sending Barry to the fourth set ahead by one, and in strong fashion, the way the first set ended.
In the fourth and final set, the Jaspers fell behind to the Buccaneers by as much as six before the combination of miscues from Barry and Nowak brought the Jaspers within four.
Down the stretch with six match points, Manhattan staved off the Buccaneers with four straight crucial offensive points from Morreale and Patchell, with a key block, but fell just short in the end by three.

STATS AND NOTES


Middle blocker Jovan Marjanovic paced the Jaspers with 11 kills on 21 attempts, while blocking three for a combined 12.5 points.
Outside hitter Wojtek Nowak logged nine kills on 27 attempts with two set assists and one block assist for 9.5 points.
Kai Patchell posted seven kills on 17 attempts, with two blocks, and three digs for the reigning NEC Defensive Player of the Week.
Max Larcheid added five kills on 10 attempts, with three block attempts and four digs for 6.5 points.
Setter Drew Blonski posted 41 set assists with four kills on seven attempts, which also featured two blocks and six digs to total five points.
As a team, Manhattan logged one more kill than the Buccaneers, 50-49, throughout the match. The Green and White also logged one more assist than Barry, 47-46.

NEXT UP:

The Jaspers conclude their inaugural non-conference schedule on Monday, March 16, in the Sunshine State, when the Green and White wrap up the two-game series against the Buccaneers of Barry University inside the Health and Sports Center, with a 12 p.m. opening serve. The contest can be viewed on Sunshine State Conference TV for free.

Follow Manhattan Men’s Volleyball on X and Instagram (@ManhattanMVBall).

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