Mens Volleyball Team Take First Victory

By Commentator Staff

At Juan Corona’s first meeting with the 2002 Volleyball Team he made his objectives for the season very clear: Work hard, have fun, get better and hopefully win a few matches.  After starting the season 0-6, the MACS picked up their first win of the season, sweeping the SUNY Purchase Panthers on their home floor.

The MACS jumped out to a quick 12-7 lead but after some errors and terrible bumping from the team, the Panthers took a 15-12 lead.  Coach Corona called a much-needed timeout to regroup his team.  After the timeout the MACS went on a 9-0 run taking the lead and forcing the Panthers into their own timeout.  It did not have the same effect, as the MACS never looked back, winning the game 30-22 and following it with convincing wins in the following two games.

The offense, led by Co-captain Michael Bernstein set the tone of the game.  Bernstein, Uzi Beer, and newcomers Joey Small, Shmuli Feinblum, and Daniel Zeltzer got great sets from sophomore setter Yaakov Landman, the other Co-captain.  Yaakov Sheinfeld and Ira Karoll were the backbone on the defensive end.  Eli Shamsian, the libero player had some great passes to Landman to set up some key spikes.  “Overall I think we played a great game,” Bernstein remarked after the match.  “Everyone contributed today and that was the key to our team’s win.  We started out slow but after Coach’s timeout I think we pulled ourselves together and took control of the match.

The MACS are part of NECVA (National Eastern Conference Volleyball Association) the largest and most competitive men’s volleyball conference in the country, according to Dr. Richard Zerneck, Yeshiva University’s Athletic Director.  “Some of the strongest volleyball programs in the country are members of our conference,” Zerneck told The Commentator.  “Some even in our division.”

Although considered to be in the bottom tier of NECVA right now, Yeshiva hopes to improve its program and in the near future be able to compete with the best of the league.

For the past few years, students have not had the interest in men’s volleyball that Yeshiva students once had in the past.  But with the talent, energy, character and expert coaching of this year’s team, it looks like men’s Volleyball has a bright future.