NEW YORK, N.Y. (February 11, 2022)  – Junior Percy Bickford totaled a team-high seven kills to lead the No. 3 Stevens Institute of Technology men's volleyball to a sweep of Hunter College (25-18, 25-12, 25-17) Wednesday in a non-conference match at the Hunter Sportsplex.

First-year Brandon Rogers and junior Alex Franke each set down six kills as the Ducks saw 11 student-athletes score points in moving to 9-0 on the year. The 9-0 start is the best for the program since the Ducks reeled off 10 straight to open the 2017 season. Five of the Ducks' nine wins have been sweeps.

David Lou had seven kills to lead the Hawks, who fell to 0-3. Stevens has won each of the last nine meetings between the programs, including seven sweeps.

The Ducks did not allow Hunter more than nine kills in any set and held the Hawks to a negative attack percentage for the match (-.060), punctuated by a 2-9-26 (-.269) in the second set. 

Hunter turned a Stevens attack error into the first point of the match, but the Ducks quickly responded with a kill from first-year Koby Sherman. The Ducks went on the first run of the match with four straight points, highlighted by a double block by junior Louden Moran and sophomore Stedman van Arsdale. 

Stevens found itself trailing at 15-13 after another attack error, however the Ducks took advantage of three errors to tie the frame at 16. The Ducks pressed the tempo and went on a 9-1 run that secured the opening set. Hunter made five errors during the set-defining sequence and graduate student Jack Fyda knocked down back-to-back kills to lead the offense.

Hunter opened the second set by scoring the first point, with Onyeka Onaga and Lou partnering to reject a Nathan Lancia attack. However, the Ducks responded with six straight points, including a Bickford kill and an ace by first-year Tyler Christensen that forced a Hunter timeout. After the Hawks climbed back into the frame, the Ducks put the set out of reach with one of their longest runs of the season, scoring eight in a row, with Christensen serving up a pair of aces and Franke setting down a pair of kills. Stevens scored four of the final five points in the frame to claim the set.

In the final set, consecutive kills by Christensen and Franke pushed the Ducks in front early in the frame. However, Sherrod Cole set down a pair of Cooper Moran sets to put the Hawks in front 6-4. 

Stevens jumped in front for good after scoring three straight points on consecutive errors and a Rogers kill that forced a Hunter timeout. The teams would then alternate the next series of points before the Ducks scored five straight points with Bickford at the serve to take a commanding 23-15 lead. A Hunter service error closed out the match. 

Inside the Numbers

• Stevens finished with a .235 hitting percentage. 
• The Ducks finished with six blocks. Franke led the Ducks with four blocks. Junior Zachary Evans and first-year Hunter Schmidt each had two.
• Senior Colin Nikc led the Ducks with 11 assists. 
• Christensen finished with a match-high three aces.
• Sophomore Carver Weirick had eight digs to lead the Ducks. The Ducks lead the Middle Atlantic Conference with 11 digs per set.
• Bickford finished with seven kills on 18 swings with just two errors. 
• Rogers notched six kills on 10 attacks without an error.
• First-year Sebastian Huyke made his collegiate debut in the third set.

Unsung Hero

• Evans finished the match with two kills, a pair of blocks and three digs. The Virginia Beach, Virginia native also had an assist. 

Up Next

• No. 3 Men's Volleyball heads to Massachusetts on Feb. 12 for a tri-match with No. 1 Springfield and Rivier.
• It will be the first regular season meeting between the Ducks and the Pride since the 2014 season. Stevens and Rivier met one week ago at a tri-match hosted by MIT.
• Links for live stats and video are available on StevensDucks.com.

Facebook: "Like" Stevens Athletics         
Twitter: @stevensducks
Instagram: @stevensducks
#AllRise