FRANKLIN, MA – The Purchase College men's volleyball team secured a commanding 3-0 victory over non-conference Dean College Friday evening. The match, which unfolded with set scores of 27-25, 25-20, and 25-16, marked the first win of the season for the Panthers.

With Dean College alumnus Dean Bennett '18 at the helm of the Purchase squad, the team advanced to an even .500 (1-1 overall) with the win. The host Bulldogs dropped to 0-1 in defeat. 

The first set witnessed a back-and-forth battle with 16 ties, culminating in a 25-25 draw to force extra points. A pair of attacking errors committed by the hosts would close the set and award PC the 27-25 opening win. 

Purchase kept the momentum going In the second set, erupting with a 12-2 run to take an early lead. Despite a resilient effort from Dean to narrow the gap, Purchase maintained control and clinched the set, 25-20, on a kill from Udel Phillips (FR/Far Rockaway, NY). 

With a two set-wins secured, the Panthers returned to the court for the third set and picked up where they left off. Phillips smashed two kills and a pair of services aces, followed by a kill from Channing Williams (FR/Neptune, NJ) to push PC out to an early 5-1 lead.

Purchase never relinquishing their hold over the hosts and with a remarkable 18 kills on .400 hitting, Purchase closed the match with a decisive 25-16 victory. Phillips added six kills in the set, concluding the match with a stellar performance.

For Purchase, Phillips recorded a career-best 10 digs on 14 attempts without a single error (.714), two service aces and two blocks (1 solo). Nate Matthie (FR/Bronx, NY) was next in line on the Panther leaderboard, producing a match-high and career-best .778 hitting percentage with eight kills on nine attempts with just a single error. Matthie also led tall defensive players with a notable 17 digs. 

Junior outside hitter Tyler Ryan (JR/Port Reading, NJ) tied the match-high in kills (10), while also recording nine digs. Williams added eight kills and seven digs, while Jael Martinez (FR/Bronx, NY) tallied six kills (.385), nine digs and one solo block. Freshmen setters Aidan Araza (Jersey City, NY) and Mauricio Ramirez (Passaic, NJ) tossed up a combined 26 assists, while Araza also recorded one service ace.

Leading the charge for Dean were sophomores Jerney Price and Arthur Felicio, who delivered a combined 13 kills. Felicio also chipped in with 10 digs and two blocks. Sophomore Hunter Armitage produced 19 assists, while newcomer Luis Castillo collected 10 digs.

Purchase looks to continue its winning ways when the team returns to action on Monday at John Jay College. The Bloodhounds will play host to the Panthers for a non-conference match starting at 7 p.m.

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