PURCHASE, N.Y.—The SUNY Potsdam men's volleyball team (2-0) outlasted Manhattanville College (0-1) and Wilkes College (0-3) by identical 3-2 scores in its season-opening tri-match on Saturday.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED (MANHATTANVILLE)

• The Bears opened set one on a 7-1 run and never trailed en route to a 25-17 win.
• Set two came down the wire, but a late 6-0 run by the Valiants led to a 25-23 win.
• Set three was tied at 14 apiece, but Potsdam finished on an 11-4 run to capture a 25-18 win.
• Manhattanville used a 12-1 stretch in the middle of set four to briefly blow open a tight contest and stave off elimination with a 25-22 decision.
• In the decisive fifth set, the Bears rallied from an 11-10 deficit to win 15-12.

 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS (MANHATTANVILLE)

• Senior middle hitter Matt Kilinski (Greenfield, N.Y./Saratoga Springs) led the Bears with 16 kills, nine digs and two aces.
• Junior middle hitter Mike Kilinski (Greenfield, N.Y./Saratoga Springs) was impressive in his Potsdam debut with 12 kills, five blocks, and two aces.
• Junior outside hitter Duncan Tenhagen (Buffalo, N.Y./West Seneca West) had 10 kills and nine digs.
• Freshman middle hitter Christopher Wong (Elmont, N.Y./Elmont Memorial) tied a program single-match record with 10 blocks in his first collegiate contest. He also had seven kills and two aces.
• Sophomore setter Alex Lombardo (East Hampton, N.Y./East Hampton) recorded a personal-best 38 assists.
• Sophomore middle hitter Jack Orrange (North Tonawanda, N.Y./North Tonawanda) had nine digs.

 
HOW IT HAPPENED (WILKES)

• The Bears jumped out to an 11-5 lead over the Colonels in set one, rolling to a 25-15 win.
• Set two saw multiple lead changes, with neither team leading by more than two points. Three consecutive kills Potsdam a 28-26 win.
• On the brink, Wilkes reversed the momentum and edged Potsdam 26-24.
• The Colonels evened the match at two sets apiece with a 25-22 win in set four.
• The Bears rolled out to a 10-4 advantage in the fifth set before closing out the match 15-9.

 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS (WILKES)

• Tenhagen led the Bears with 22 kills, seven digs, two blocks and an ace.
• Matt Kilinski recorded 17 more kills, three aces, 13 digs and five assists.
• Mike Kilinski posted 13 more kills and two aces.
• Wong had another five blocks and four kills.
• Lombardo established a new personal-best 45 assists along with eight digs.
• Sophomore outside hitter Darious Dorsey-Rhule (Elmont, N.Y./Elmont Memorial) had four kills and two blocks.

 
WHAT'S NEXT?
The Bears head to No. 6 Vassar College for a 6 p.m. match on Friday.