The #8-ranked New York University men's volleyball team began its 2026 campaign with a 3-1 win over Concordia University Wisconsin in Santa Cruz, CA. The match was hosted by the University of California Santa Cruz as a part of the UC Santa Cruz Slug Slam.

After dropping the first set, the Violets bounced back by winning the next three and taking the match 23-25, 25-21, 25-23, 25-22.

The entire opening frame was back-and-forth with neither team leading by more than four. After the Falcons went up 12-8, NYU won five of the next six rallies to even the score at 13-13. Concordia later jumped back in front 16-14, but the Violets responded with three consecutive points.

The two teams then continued to trade rallies, eventually bringing the score to 22-22. However, the Falcons went on to win three of the final four points to clinch the set. 

Much like the first frame, the score stayed within a four-point difference for the entirety of the second set. NYU fell behind 12-8 in the opening stages of the stanza but found its footing with an 8-0 run to take the lead for good. Concordia did manage to get back to within one, trailing 22-21, but the Violets claimed the set with three straight points. 

NYU did not trail at any point of the third frame and led by as much as five. With the Violets up 12-11, NYU began to break away with a 4-0 run. However, the Falcons stayed within reach, eventually cutting the deficit down to one, 18-17.

Wisconsin later evened the score at 21-21, but back-to-back points by the Violets provided breathing room for NYU. The Falcons once again tied the score, 23-23, before the Violets won the set with two consecutive points. 

The fourth set proved to be the tightest, as neither team led by more than three. After NYU went up 10-8, the Falcons won four of the next five points to jump ahead. The Violets then took a 15-14 edge, after which three straight Concordia points put the Falcons on top. NYU answered with a 4-0 run and did not trail for the rest of the night. 

Later knotted up at 22-22, the Violets put the match away with three consecutive points. 

Emerson Evans led the way with a match-high 22 kills on .436 hitting and added one solo block at the net. Devyn Nguyen registered 39 assists on the night, while Bennet Tchaikovsky tallied 14 digs, both of which were team-bests. 

NYU returns to action tomorrow with a tilt against California Lutheran University at 8:00pm ET.