GLEN ELLYN, Ill., April 14, 2024 – For the second time in as many years of NJCAA sponsorship of men's volleyball, the Monroe College Mustangs finished as the runner-up at the NJCAA Men's Volleyball Invitational. After opening Sunday with a three-set victory over No. 3 Bryant & Stratton College (Wisc.) in the tournament semifinals, the No. 2-seeded Mustangs were defeated in four sets by defending champion and No. 1 seed Finger Lakes Community College in the championship match.
SEMIFINALS: #2 Monroe 3, #3 Bryant & Stratton 0 (25-20, 25-21, 25-12)
After two close matches with the Bobcats earlier this season, the Mustangs really came to play in Sunday's semifinal match. However, the Bobcats were the ones to get off to a hot start, scoring the first five points of the opening set to force Monroe to take a timeout. The Mustangs then worked their way back from there, later using a 7-1 run to take a 16-13 lead on the Bobcats. The Mustangs were unable to pull away entirely, with the Bobcats remaining within two at 22-20 late in the frame. The Mustangs then picked up the final three points for a 25-20 win to take a one-set lead.
The Bobcats once again had the early jump in the second stanza, but the Mustangs erased a 5-2 deficit with four straight to take the lead. Later, a 7-1 stretch for Monroe gave the Mustangs an 18-10 advantage on the Bobcats, but Bryant & Stratton responded by scoring six of the next seven to get back within three. The set once again reached a score of 22-20 before Monroe reached set point at 24-20. The Bobcats got a kill to stay alive, but a service error then ended the game with a 25-21 score in favor of the Mustangs to put them up, 2-0.
It was all Mustangs in the final frame in Sunday's semifinal. Monroe rolled to a 10-3 lead early in the third set before scoring 8-of-9 to take a commanding 18-6 edge. The two teams managed to go back-and-forth for the next 13 points before the Bobcats finally held serve to make it a 24-14 game after two straight points, but the Mustangs got one final kill from
Damian Baker to close out the semifinal sweep with a 25-14 win.
Arnau Riu Giralt had his biggest match of the weekend to that point with 14 kills and four digs in the semifinal victory. Baker and
Briggs Wieboldt matched with 10 kills apiece. Baker hit an absurd .818 and had three blocks and three digs, while Wieboldt picked up four digs.
Ethan Grace threw down six kills with a team-high two aces.
Devounte Bennett added five kills with two blocks and an ace.
Timothy Reyes totaled 33 assists with seven digs and an ace in the win.
Arthur Rosa led the team with 10 digs, adding four assists as well.
CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: #1 Finger Lakes 3, #2 Monroe 1 (15-25, 25-19, 25-23, 25-20)
Looking to avenge last season's finals defeat, the Mustangs came out hot in the first set of the championship match, running out to a 9-4 advantage over the Lakers. Monroe later scored 4-of-5 points to take a 13-6 lead over the tournament's top seed. Another 4-of-5 helped Monroe pull away with a 19-10 edge. The Mustangs then scored three of the final four points of the game, earning a 25-15 win to take a 1-0 lead in the match.
After an even 4-4 start to the second set, the Mustangs scored 4-of-5 to take an 8-5 lead, but the Lakers responded with seven straight points to take a 12-8 lead and force the Mustangs to use a timeout. The Mustangs scored the next two out of the break, but were unable to close the gap. Three straight points later in the game by Finger Lakes had the Lakers up, 22-17, causing the Mustangs to use their second timeout. Bennett got a kill for Monroe out of the stoppage, but the Lakers maintained their momentum to score three of the last four points to pick up a 25-19 win and even the match at one set apiece.
The Mustangs looked to bounce back in the third game, taking an early 10-7 lead on the Lakers. Finger Lakes then used a 5-1 run to take over, 13-12. The Mustangs continued to push, eventually holding a 21-18 lead late in the frame, but the Lakers caught fire to score six in a row and reach set point at 24-21. The Mustangs nearly clawed their way back with two more points, but the Lakers narrowly held them off for a 25-23 win to go up, 2-1.
Monroe fell into an early 9-3 hole in the fourth frame. The Mustangs scored three straight after a timeout, but the Lakers scored 5-of-6 to go up, 14-7. The Mustangs got back within four at 18-14 after a three-point run, later using another three straight to make it a 21-18 score. After a kill by Wieboldt left Monroe down, 22-19, the Lakers scored two straight to reach match point. Wieboldt kept Monroe alive with one more kill, but Finger Lakes' Evan Lukasiewicz closed out the tournament with one final kill for a 25-20 win.
Wieboldt had another strong match with 13 kills in the final, adding seven digs, an ace and a block. Grace totaled 10 kills with four digs and ab lock. Riu Giralt was next with eight kills and nine digs. Baker also had eight kills to go with two aces and two blocks. Bennett added five kills and two blocks with an ace and a dig.
Reyes dished out 38 assists and completed a double-double with 11 digs, adding two blocks and a kill in the match. Rosa picked up a team-best 15 digs.
Vene Gase contributed three kills on five swings.
Year 2 of the Monroe College Mustangs men's volleyball team is in the books with the conclusion of the 2024 NJCAA Men's Volleyball Invitational. After finishing 14-2 last year, the Mustangs packed their schedule in 2024, finishing 31-6 overall. The Mustangs earn their second straight NJCAA Men's Volleyball Invitational runner-up and claimed the first-ever Region 15 Men's Volleyball Championship this season.
ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MONROE COLLEGE
The athletic program at Monroe College encompasses a total of 28 teams competing across nine sports. There are 20 varsity and junior varsity programs, as well the Monroe College marching band, competing on the New Rochelle campus as the Mustangs (NJCAA Division I). The Monroe Express, based out of the Bronx campus, has seven teams competing at the NJCAA Division III level.
For more information about the Monroe Mustangs, please visit us at
www.MonroeCollegeMustangs.com or follow us on social media: Facebook (
Monroe Mustangs Athletics), Twitter (
@MonroeMustangs) and Instagram (
@monroemustangs).
