Gulls Edge Past Nighthawks In Five

The Newbury College men’s volleyball team took Endicott College to five games Tuesday evening before the Gulls came away with the 3-2 win. Endicott senior A.J. Witkofsky (Scotia,  NY/Burnt Hills-Ballston) led seven players in double digit kills with a match-high 30 kills.

After trailing late in the first game, 28-24, the Nighthawks rallied back and edged out the Gulls, 35-33, to claim game one. Senior Joshua Aberly (Palatine, IL/Palatine) was instrumental in the comeback recording six kills while tallying two assisted blocks. Endicott cut short another Newbury rally as they took game two, 30-25 behind Witkofsky’s seven kills to even up the match at one game a piece.

It was a back-and-forth battle between the two schools for the duration of the match. The Nighthawks re-gained the lead edging out the Gulls in game three, but Endicott forced the deciding game five holding off a late Newbury rally to take the fourth game, 30-28. Gulls senior John Emery (Westford, MA/Westford Academy) helped Endicott fend off Newbury, 15-13, in game five, recording four of his 14 kills on the night.

Led by senior Mark Thomas’s (Wilbraham, MA/Minnechaug Regional) team-high 23 kills, the Nighthawks had four players reach double figures in kills. Aberly followed up with 21 kills while junior James Beck (Havre de Grace, MD/Havre de Grace) also played solid recording 13 kills. Sophomore Danny Kim (Plainview, NY/Plainview JFK) rounded out the four with 11 kills.

The loss drops Newbury to 19-10 on the season while Endicott improves to 23-6. The Nighthawks return to action on Thursday March 25^th when they square off against Emmanuel College at 7:00pm.

- Game story by Lindsay Graham - Staff Assistant

- Game photo provided by Samantha Yanofsky