ORANGEBURG, N.Y. — D'Youville (0-3) fell to Dominican College (2-3) in four sets, finishing with a final score of 25-22, 16-25, 16-25, 22-25, on Friday night at Hennessy Center. Despite the loss, D'Youville recorded a hitting percentage of .210 and tallied a total of 43 kills.

The match commenced with D'Youville establishing early momentum against the Chargers, overcoming an initial service ace with a series of successful plays. D'Youville capitalized on several errors from the home team, including a service error and attack errors, pushing the score to 5-1 in their favor. Skyler Tutor (St. Cloud, FL / St. Cloud) and Isaiah Tinsley (Holmdel, N.J. / Marlboro) contributed key kills, assisted by Andrew Haber (Whitby, Ontario / Brooklin), propelling D'Youville further ahead.

D'Youville maintained control by capitalizing on a service ace by Dempsey Ptaszkiewicz (Cincinnati, Ohio / Bishop Fenwick) and a series of kills from Luk Markwardt (Luebeck, Germany / Leibniz Gymnasium Bad Schwartau), with Haber consistently providing assists. Despite Dominican's attempts to rally, D'Youville's lead was bolstered by their ability to respond to errors and convert opportunities. The set concluded with D'Youville securing a 25-22 victory, ending the first set with a disciplined performance.

D'Youville initially gained momentum in the second set with a 3-0 lead, highlighted by Skyler Tutor's kill from Haber. However, Dominican responded with a strong run, tying the game at 4-4 and then taking a 5-4 lead. Despite efforts from D'Youville, including kills by Tinsley and Samuel Pizarro-Amaya (Seattle, Wash. / Shoreline), the Chargers extended their advantage, ultimately claiming the set 25-16. The match continued with Dominican leading overall.

D'Youville started the third set with a kill by Deeraj Varma (Gaithersburg, Md. / Quince Orchard), assisted by Haber, setting the tone for a competitive set. D'Youville managed to keep the score tight, with Varma and Ethan Robinson (Scarborough, Ontario / Neil McNeil) contributing crucial kills to tie the score at various points. Despite their efforts, including a key block by Varma that capitalized on an opponent's attack error, D'Youville struggled to maintain momentum.

The Chargers pulled ahead with a series of kills and capitalized on D'Youville's service and attack errors. A timeout called by D'Youville did not shift the momentum, as Dominican extended their lead to secure the set. The set concluded with the Chargers taking it 25-16, finalizing the match.

D'Youville fought to stay competitive in the fourth set against Dominican, highlighted by Robinson's consistent scoring. Robinson contributed multiple kills, notably narrowing the gap with assistance from Peyton Planz (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Shaler Area), bringing D'Youville within reach at critical junctures. Despite a service ace by Robinson and a strong block from Ptaszkiewicz and Tinsley, D'Youville trailed for most of the set.  The set concluded with a kill from the Chargers, ending the game at a final score of 25-22 in favor of the Chargers.

Tinsley recorded an efficient performance with eight kills on 14 attempts, hitting a .500 percentage. Planz contributed 14 assists, orchestrating the setup for the offense. Robinson tallied nine kills and added three digs, contributing significantly to the team's effort. Ptaszkiewicz stood out defensively with five block assists while also serving two aces.

Looking ahead, D'Youville will face St. Thomas Aquinas College tomorrow, Saturday, Jan. 24, at noon. The match will take place in Sparkill, New York.