Brooklyn, NY (Jan. 22, 2019) – With new head coach Ryan Cole at the helm, the Purchase College men's volleyball team opened 2019 action on the road at Brooklyn College Tuesday evening. The Panthers dropped the non-conference match to the host Bulldogs by a score of 3-0 (25-11, 25-23, 25-23).

Brooklyn jumped out to a 3-0 lead to start the match, taking a commanding 10-4 lead early in the first set.  Already leading 20-11, the Bulldogs closed out the opening set with a five-score rally. 

Purchase bounced back to open the second set. Back-to-back Bulldog errors put the Panthers out in front, 8-7, but the lead was short-lived as Brooklyn jumped back ahead with three straight scores.  Purchase rallied late to cut Brooklyn's lead to 24-23 but the home team won the set on the next point on a Michael Valentin kill.

Senior outside hitter Luke Kubisch (Delmar, NY) notched a kill and an ace to open the third set, and a Brooklyn service error and a kill from Purchase rookie Erick Zajac (FR/Staten Island, NY) followed to push the Panthers out in front, 5-3.

Brooklyn rallied to take an 18-10 lead before the Panthers battled back to cut BC's lead to 20-19, thanks to a combined scoring effort from Thomas Slomka (JR/Orchard Park, NY), Andreo Otiniano (JR/Mamaroneck, NY), Matthew Waterhouse (FR/Massapequa, NY) and Jeremiah Huntt (FR/Bronx, NY).  Purchase eventually tied the set 23-23 before the Bulldogs were able to close out the match on back-to-back Purchase errors.

BC 's Omar Rezika led the way with a match-high eight kills and three blocks for 10 points. Michael Valentin finished with seven kills and a team-high 15 assists, while Snigdho Hasan totaled a match-high 10 digs. It was also the first win for newly hired BC head coach Dinu Dan.

Kubisch led the offensive effort for Purchase with seven kills. Huntt added five kills, while Slomka chipped in with four kills and a team-best three aces. Otiniano finished with a team-high 15 assists. Joey Dyckman (FR/Verplanck, NY) fueled the Panther defense with seven digs.

Purchase looks to bounce back this Saturday at a non-conference tri-match hosted by the Sage Colleges. The Panthers will open the day against the Gators at 11 a.m.