Patchogue, NY – After an impressive win over Yeshiva University in straight sets (3–0) at the Clark Athletic Center on Wednesday afternoon, the SUNY Old Westbury men's volleyball team continued its road trip Thursday evening with a stop at St. Joseph's University Long Island. The Panthers were once again swept by the Golden Eagles in straight sets 25–13, 25–14, 25–19 at the John A. Danzi Center Gymnasium in Patchogue.

In the opening set, Old Westbury struck first, jumping out to an early 1–0 lead before the Golden Eagles quickly responded and took control of the frame. St. Joseph's Long Island built momentum offensively and led by as many as 20–9 before closing out the set 25–13.

The second set saw slight improvements from the Panthers as Old Westbury once again jumped out to an early 2–0 advantage. However, the Golden Eagles answered with a strong run to regain control and continued their offensive momentum to take the set 25–14, giving them a 2–0 lead in the match.

Looking to avoid the sweep, the Panthers delivered their strongest performance of the night in the third set. Old Westbury kept the Golden Eagles' lead within striking distance for much of the frame, trimming the deficit to as little as three points during several stretches of play. Despite the effort, St. Joseph's Long Island maintained control late in the set and secured the match with a 25–19 victory.

With the loss, the Panthers fall to 5–6 overall on the season with a 2–4 mark in Skyline Conference play.

Despite the result, Old Westbury received several strong individual performances throughout the match. Sophomore middle blocker Torrence Fredericks once again proved to be a valuable presence for the Panthers, finishing with six kills, one assist, and eight digs while hitting .087 on the night.

Freshman middle blocker Jason Giles also contributed offensively with six kills and three digs, while senior setter Ashel Santos helped orchestrate the Panthers' offense with 13 assists, three kills, and four digs while continuing to serve as a vocal leader on the court. Freshmen middle blocker Luke Vetack also had three kills two blocks and one ace on the night to help the panthers.

Defensively, the Panthers battled throughout the match, finishing with 33 total digs and two team blocks while working to slow down the Golden Eagles' attack. Offensively, Old Westbury recorded 23 total kills and 23 assists, while St. Joseph's Long Island finished with 49 kills and 48 assists in the match.

What's Next?

The Panthers will look to bounce back as they continue their road trip on Saturday, March 14, when they will travel to take on Manhattanville University. First serve is scheduled for 12:00 PM in Purchase, New York.