By: Haadi Amir & Manuel Polanco
The Brooklyn College (BC) Fall Athletic season is back! As the new fall leaves hit the ground, heavy winds of wins and special moments follow through. This week kicked off debuts in women’s volleyball and soccer, along with the men’s soccer season.
Women’s Volleyball
On the road for their first game, the women’s volleyball team opened the season against William Paterson University on Sept. 1. In a 3-0 loss for BC, they showed resilience in each round.
All three sets in round one had scores of 13-25, 25-27,15-25 respectively. Sophomore and outside hitter Saule Okeke-Ziburkus had a great game, notching 10 kills and three aces for a total of 13 points. Another notable performance came from outside hitter and sophomore Olive Caroll, who had five kills and two digs.
In their next game against St. Joseph Long Island, BC went four sets but couldn’t get the win, losing 3-1. The four sets went as follows: 25-20, 25-20, 25-20, 25-22. Junior setter Rose Kory had a notable performance with a strong 30 assists. Okeke-Ziburkus had another great game with 17 points, and senior setter Malia Reyes had 19 digs.
The Bulldogs notched their first win of the season on Sept. 10. against Maritime University in a five-set gauntlet match that ended 3-2. The five sets went as follows, 25-27,25-21,21-25,15-13.
Key contributors were Reyes and Kory, with their elite defense. Kory had 21 assists, while Reyes had 18.
Okeke-Ziburkus continued her great start to the season with a 19-kill game and two assists, totaling 28 points.
BC’s next game will be at home on Tuesday, Sept.15 against USMMA at 7 pm.
Women’s Soccer
The Women’s Soccer team opened its season on Sept. 1 at Cedar Crest; however, it was suspended due to lightning. Whether the game will be rescheduled has not yet been announced. On Sept. 4, the women tied SUNY Maritime 2-2 at home, with Alyssa Hardison and Gianna DiPronio scoring, both assisted by freshman Scarlett Davis. DiPronio and Davis went on to earn CUNYAC Player and Rookie of the week honors. The women then dropped their first game, 4-0 at Pratt, on Sept. 9, despite five saves from keeper April Hartje.
Men’s Soccer
The men’s team began their season on Sept. 1 with a 1-1 draw at Farmingdale State thanks to senior midfielder Adam Moharam’s penalty kick.
A home match against St. Joseph’s Brooklyn ended 2-2, thanks to the team rallying twice on goals from Nathaniel Xavier Liebling and Moharam.
The team traveled to Montclair State on Sept. 6. In their first loss of the season, BC fell 0-6.
Closing the stretch with a 1-1 tie against Sarah Lawrence College, as freshman Duran Pepic scored and goalkeeper Juan Carlos Solis Cazares made a late save to preserve the point.
The team’s next game is Sept. 12 against Old Westbury.