By: Manuel Polanco
Another week has passed, and we have a lot to cover, so let’s get to it!
This week’s lineup includes Women’s Volleyball and Soccer, in addition to Men’s Soccer. A notable player, sophomore Saule Okeke-Ziburkus, earned CUNYAC mentions for the second time this season for her hot start to the season.
Women’s Volleyball
On Sept. 15, BC faced off against United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) at home and lost 3-0. The sets went as follows, 25-21, 25-23,25-16. Okeke-Ziburkus had a good game with eight kills, three aces, and one block. Senior Olivia Fan ended her night with four kills. Senior Malia Reyes had three kills, one ace, and 14 digs.
Junior Rose Kory had a great game with 35 assists and 10 digs. Sophomore Olive Caroll ended her night with five kills and one ace. Overall, the team ended this game with five blocks.
Continuing at home court, the Bulldogs took on Farmingdale University in a non-conference match and lost 3-0. The sets went as follows: 25-12, 25-12, 25-14. Leaving the Bulldogs with no bark or bite, Farmingdale came out of the gate strong. Fan had six kills in her performance. Okeke-Ziburkus finished with seven kills.
Reyes had 10 digs, Kory wrapped up with 13 assists, and Carroll had four kills with two aces.
Facing off against familiar foe, John Jay College, at home, BC beat JJ 3-0 in their CUNYAC opener; A good conference debut for them. The sets went as follows: 25-21, 25-21, 25-22. A close and intense game throughout.
Notable players of the match were Okeke-Ziburkus, who had seven kills and 10 digs, and Kory, who had another great game with 10 assists and three aces. Reyes had a great game with four kills and one ace. Fan had a great defensive game as she ended her day with four blocks and three kills. Finishing off, Carroll led the way with eight kills and three aces.
Next up, BC hit the road to play against St. Joseph’s University in a nonconference match and lost 3-1. The sets went as follows: 25-20, 25-15, 18-25, 25-21. They may have pushed it to four sets, but unfortunately could not come back and win this one.
The team tallied 42 kills, 61 digs, seven blocks, and 34 assists altogether. The players of the game were Caroll, who had 12 kills and one ace, and Okeke-Ziburkus, who had 12 kills as well and one block. Junior Sophie Galchus had four blocks and four kills. Junior Meadow Andrews had a solid night with five kills and one block.
BC will look to start a new win streak during their next game on Sept. 29 at home against Baruch College.
Women’s Soccer
On Sept. 16, BC took on Albertus Magnus College and lost 3-0. BC had seven saves this game. Going up against Kean University on the road, BC gave up three goals in the first quarter and lost 3-0. Freshman midfielder Alondra Vega Varela had two shots and two shots on goal during her performance.
Next up, BC went on the road to face off against Penn State Brandywine but couldn’t complete the comeback and fell 2-1. Brandywine scored two goals in the first quarter but were held scoreless thereafter.
Freshman Aissa Santos Lopez had one shot and one shot on goal, but her one assist helped BC score in the second quarter. Junior forward Gianna DiPronio scored the lone goal for BC in the 56th minute.
Due to the expected impact from the Nor’easter, the next scheduled game for the women’s team will be on Oct. 6 against Bard College.
Men’s Soccer
Playing against Purchase College, BC rallied in the second quarter to take a 3-2 win and boost their winning streak to two games. Purchase scored early, but BC answered right back with a penalty kick from sophomore Forward Gustav Krueger. Krueger had a good game with three shots, three SOG, and one goal.
In the second quarter, Purchase took the lead again, despite Junior Goalkeeper Juan Carlos Solis Cazares making three saves. In the 79th minute, senior midfielder Adam Moharam scored the game-tying goal.
Just as quickly, senior forward Hugo Sauriat scored the game-winning goal, sealing the win for BC.
On the road for their next match against Pratt Institute, BC won 4-0 in a convincing victory. BC limited Pratt to only two shots in the first half, showcasing their elite defense. In the 20th minute, Junior midfielder Alejandro Barreto scored the first goal of the game thanks to an assist from teammate Nathaniel Xavier Liebling.
Sauriat had a great game with two goals of his own. Freshman midfielder Bryan Lorenzo scored a goal as well. Solis Cazares had one save in the second half. This ran up BC’s winning streak to three games.
In their CUNYAC debut, BC would have their three-game win streak broken by City College (CCNY) in a 3-1 loss; with the only goal in this game coming from Krueger in the 85th minute, his fifth of the season.
After a tumultuous week, the Bulldogs are set to have their next game on Sept. 30 at home against Medgar Evers College.