Hunter Edged in Five Sets by NJCU in ECAC Semis

Release courtesy Hunter Athletic Communications

BOX SCORE

NEWARK, N.J. — The Hunter College men's volleyball team (18-12, 12-2 CUNYAC) saw its 2025 season come to a close on Saturday afternoon in the ECAC Division III Semifinals, falling to second-seeded New Jersey City University (23-9, 9-2 Skyline) in a five-set thriller (24-26, 25-21, 25-22, 23-25, 15-12) at Rutgers-Newark. Making their first ECAC appearance since 2022, the third-seeded Hawks battled through every point in a back-and-forth match that featured 33 ties and 13 lead changes, but were ultimately edged by the Skyline Conference runners-up in a match that showcased Hunter's resilience and late-season growth.

The Hawks were relentless from the first serve, overcoming early miscues to rally back and steal the opening set 26-24, sealing it with a kill by Kyle Foley followed by a Hunter block that forced an NJCU error. Although the Gothic Knights responded with narrow wins in the second and third frames, the Hawks continued to push behind key defensive stands and timely kills. Trailing 21-20 in the fourth, Hunter dug deep to swing momentum with a late-set rally, capped by back-to-back attacking errors from NJCU and a pair of kills by Annes Deljanin and Ahmed Mohamed to force a decisive fifth.

The final set mirrored the match's tone — competitive and intense. Deljanin opened with an ace, and Jon Domingo added a kill that tied things at 8-8, but a late NJCU run proved decisive as Hunter's season came to a close with a 15-12 defeat.

Foley led the Hawks with 14 kills, 11 digs, and one block assist, while Mohamed added 13 kills and four block assists. Deljanin turned in a complete effort with 10 kills, one dig, six total blocks (three solo, three assists), and the team's lone ace. Admir Cekic contributed five kills, three blocks, and an ace, while Wyatt Kotuk chipped in with two kills and a match-high six block assists in a strong two-way showing.

Wesley Stubbs directed the offense with 22 assists, adding six digs, one kill, and three blocks. Brandon Yeh and Charlie Alvarez also saw action across multiple sets, with Yeh finishing with two assists and a kill. Domingo recorded one kill, while Nick Yao added multiple assists off the bench.

As a team, the Hawks totaled 59 kills and 12.0 total blocks, holding NJCU under a .200 hitting percentage in three of the five sets. Despite falling short of a title match berth, Hunter's 2025 campaign concludes at 18-12 overall, highlighted by a CUNYAC Championship appearance and a postseason run that reflected a season of growth, grit, and depth.

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