New York University's men's volleyball team won the 2024 United Volleyball Conference (UVC) Championship for their second-ever league title and first since 2017.
The Violets (18-7) defeated top-seeded Vassar College (23-7) in a tense four-set final on Sunday, April 14, in Poughkeepsie, NY. The Violets lost the first set 25-15, but returned to form in the next two, winning 25-19 and 25-22. NYU then triumphed 25-18 in the decisive final set.
The win means NYU has secured an automatic NCAA Tournament bid which begins next weekend, April 19-20.
"It was a very courageous performance by this group of young men," said Head Coach José Piña. "It was a hard-fought match against an excellent Vassar team, and there were lots of momentum changes and big plays on both sides. But we were able to overcome a shaky start and earn an NCAA bid."
Vassar went ahead 10-7 early in the first set following a three-point run and held the lead for the rest of the set. The Brewers led by as many as 11 points at times as a three-point Violets' streak at the end was not enough to prevent Vassar from taking the first set.
The score was tied nine times in the second set until NYU broke a 16-16 deadlock through a Luke Boyer kill and a service ace. The Brewers kept coming back, tying the score two more times up to 19-19 until a six-point run capped by two Lucas Osiecki kills won the frame for the Violets.
The Brewers broke a 3-3 tie in the third set by scoring three in a row, but the Violets responded with their own six-point run, capped by kills from Boyer and Buddy Cohen along with an Emerson Evans service ace. NYU held the lead for the rest of the set, extending the lead to four points at 21-17 with another three-point streak featuring kills from Evans and Osiecki, as well as a Boyer ace.
Vassar came within one point at 21-20, but Ry Kagan's kill closed out the set.
The Violets broke a 6-6 tie in the fourth through a Vassar error and Osiecki kill and led for the rest of the set. Another four-point Violet streak extended the lead to five, and the team posted several more five-point leads throughout to win. The Brewers never looked to threaten that lead, as a Cohen kill ended the championship final.
"This weekend was a total team effort in both matches," added Piña. "Congrats to them on a strong showing and on being able to persevere and earn the opportunity to compete for the national championship."
Osiecki led the match in kills with 14, followed by Evans and Kagan with 11 and 10, respectively. Evans and Osiecki posted 10 and nine digs, respectively, while Zach Knudsen led the match with 11. Devyn Nguyen recorded 44 assists and Boyer delivered three aces, both match-highs.
Nguyen was named the UVC Championship Most Valuable Player.
The Violets have punched their ticket to the first round of the NCAA DIII Men's Volleyball Championship Tournament next weekend. Their opponent and location for the opening round will be revealed in the NCAA Selection Show tomorrow, April 15, at 10:00am on NCAA.com.
