ANNANDALE-ON-HUDSON, NY - The Medgar Evers College men's volleyball team opened their 2020 season with a road match at Bard College on Thursday, January 30.

The Cougars (1-0) defeated the Raptors (1-3) in three sets (25-20, 25-18, 25-18).

Medgar got off to a rough start to their season, falling behind 10-3 in the first set. The black-and-gold regained control and found their groove, though, closing the set on a 22-10 run and taking a 1-0 lead in the match.

Two kills by Enmanuel Jaquez and one from Austin Romeo helped Medgar jump out to a 4-0 lead in the second set. Bard cut the deficit as low as one point when the score was 12-11, but the Cougars only kept expanding their lead from that point and won the second set convincingly to take a 2-0 lead.

In the third set, Medgar fell behind 5-3 and then 10-8, before firing off a 14-5 run to take a 22-15 lead. The Cougars kept their eyes on the prize as they closed out the season-opener in three sets.

Jaquez led all players with 12 kills and two aces, while Jovan Scott recorded nine kills and a match-best .375 hitting percentage and four blocks. Sebastiann Perez led the team with eight digs and also contributed five kills, while Alex Bridgelall added a match-high 24 assists.

The Cougars return to action on Saturday, February 1, for another road contest, this time at Sarah Lawrence College at 12 pm.